How to Comment, Compliment or Complain about Council Services
Milton Keynes Council provides over 200 different services for the community. With each one, we aim to be as efficient and effective as possible.
In many cases we rely on our customers to alert us to where we need to provide a service and these will be dealt with as service requests.
Where we have said we will deal with your request but fail to do so, or things don't work out as they should do, this will be dealt with through our complaints procedure. You may wish to read
What is a Complaint?
Complaints tell us what we are doing wrong, but if you have a comment or compliment about a service – we would still like to hear from you:
If your complaint refers to either Adult or Children's Social Care, is about a School or the conduct of councillors/members of the Council please click on the relevant link below:
Our Three-Stage Complaints Procedure
If you wish to make a comment, compliment or complaint there are three stages.
Complaints Procedure Flow Chart
Stage 1
In most cases problems can be sorted out quickly and satisfactory at Stage 1. Simply speak directly to the staff involved, telling them why you are dissatisfied. This can be done by telephone or you may wish to call in at one of our main offices at the Civic Office or Saxon Court.
Alternatively if you prefer, you can:
- complete our online form. This will immediately log your comment, compliment or complaint onto our system. You will receive confirmation and a unique reference number and password which will enable you to track the progress online.
Login to track the progress online
- or write a letter saying what your complaint is and what you think ought to be done. All written complaints should be acknowledged within 7 days with a full response within 21 days.
- print and complete our form Comments, Compliments & Complaints and return to the freepost address.
Stage 2
Where you are not satisfied with what has been done or the problem continues you can appeal and this will be dealt by a more senior officer in that service area. You will be kept informed of the outcome of this investigation.
Stage 3
If you are still not satisfied with the result of the Stage 2 investigation you can ask for a further investigation which will be carried out by an independent senior officer.
Still not happy?
Stage 3 is the final stage of our council complaints procedure. However, if you are still not happy with the outcome, you can contact the
Ombudsman*
*
The Local Government Ombudsman:
The Local Government Ombudsman looks at complaints about councils and some other authorities and organisations, including education admissions appeal panels and adult social care providers (such as care homes and home care providers). It is a free service. Their job is to investigate complaints in a fair and independent way - they do not take sides.
