Comment, compliment and complain

The County Council is committed to listening to service users and dealing with any complaints they may have promptly and effectively. We aim to learn from your views, helping us to improve and develop the services we provide.

If you have any comments, compliments or wish to complain about any of our services please contact us. To report a pothole, faulty streetlight or to use our other online services, visit our Tell us section.

Complaints are dealt with by each Department and should be made directly to the Departmental complaints team - their contact details, complaints procedures and on-line response forms are as follows:

• Health & Community Services including older people, physically disability services, learning disability and mental health, libraries and customer services)
• Children's Services (education, schools and care and support for children and families)
• Resources & Performance (Chief Executive's office and corporate services)
• Environment & Commercial Services (highways, waste management, commercial services, economic development and communications)
• Community Protection ( Fire and Rescue, Trading Standards, and Emergency planning)

• initial requests for a service - e.g. report of a faulty street light
• requests for information or explanation of county council policy or practice - e.g. complaints about admissions rules or the home to school transport policy
• matters for which there is a right of appeal - e.g. school admissions decisions
• matters which are or could be expected to be the subject of legal proceedings - e.g. insurance or compensation claims (Use the link called Insurance claims)
• complaints about matters over which the council has no control - e.g. hospitals, District and Borough Councils
• complaints about the conduct of Councillors. (Use the link called Online complaints forms.)

If the County Council responses fail to satisfy your complaint you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman (using the link called Local Government Ombudsman). The Ombudsman is completely independent of local government and can investigate complaints of injustice caused by maladministration.

You may also wish to talk to your County Councillor. (Use the link called Councillors, MPs and MEPs.)