Complaints Policy

The Corporation’s General Complaints Procedure

We will always try and deliver a high quality and responsive service, but we appreciate that sometimes we may fall short of this goal, giving you reason to complain and us an opportunity to learn.

The following sets out how to make a complaint about the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC).

Types of complaint

You can complain about the service we’ve provided, including:

  • if you are unhappy with the way we responded to an enquiry or the time that we took to respond (or if we didn’t respond)
  • if you think that we have not followed a formal process or the law when dealing with a complaint
  • if you think that any of our decisions did not take due account of the information available
  • any incorrect action or failure to take action or investigate
  • if we made inaccurate or misleading statements
  • inadequate consultation or liaison
  • any rudeness or offensive remarks
  • complaints about service delivery of the EDC’s planning function

The following are not covered by the General Complaints Procedure:

  • planning decisions and appeals
  • matters of Government policy
  • Freedom of Information Act or Environmental Information Regulations
  • the decisions or actions of any other organisations

How to make a complaint

Complaints should be made in writing or by email no later than 3 months after you became aware of the problem, or should reasonably have become aware of it.

When making your complaint, please include as much detail as possible, for example:

  • the nature of the complaint
  • the date and time to which the complaint relates
  • the names of any EDC staff concerned
  • what (if anything) you have done so far
  • what you would like us to do to sort things out

Because we believe we should deal with your complaint as soon as practical we have a two stage process to deal with your complaint:

Stage One (First formal stage)

  • Complain directly to the person you have been in contact with by sending your complaint directly to that person, along with a copy to contactebbsfleetdc@ebbsfleetdc.org.uk
  • If you have not already been in contact with someone or you do not know who to contact, please email contactebbsfleetdc@ebbsfleetdc.org.uk or call 0303 4442586
  • Your Stage One complaint will be responded to by an EDC Director
  • We will respond to you within 15 working days of us receiving your complaint

Stage Two (Second formal stage)

  • If you are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage One, you should send your original complaint along with the reasons you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage 1 to contactebbsfleetdc@ebbsfleetdc.org.uk marked for the attention of Ian Piper, Chief Executive, or alternatively via post to The Observatory, Castle Hill Drive, Castle Hill, Ebbsfleet Valley, DA10 1EE
  • Your complaint will be logged and acknowledged within two working days of receipt
  • We will investigate your complaint and may offer to have a discussion with you to understand the issues you have raised more fully
  • You will receive a written response to your complaint within 15 working days of us receiving your Stage Two submission
  • You will be offered the chance to discuss in person the response to your complaint
  • In the event of EDC needing to take any action to remedy your complaint you will be kept informed of progress

Reviewed by the Local Government Ombudsman

If after the above you are still unhappy with the responses you have received, you can take your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman to review the handling of your complaint.

The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771,
Coventry,
CV4 0EH

Tel:  0300 061 0614
Fax: 024 7682 0001
www.lgo.org.uk

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