Complaint Management Framework

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Consultation has concluded

A crucial aspect of the development of good customer service processes within Council is to ensure we have in place a best practice complaint management system. To assist with this Council has developed a Complaint Management Framework for QPRC which consists of a Charter setting out rights and responsibilities for the parties to a complaint and three core policies (Complaint Management, Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Management and Competitive Neutrality Complaints). Council is seeking community feedback on these draft documents. Set out below is a summary of the Charter and three policies:

  1. The Charter of Individual Rights and Mutual Responsibilities of the Parties to a Complaint
    This Charter is based upon a model developed by the NSW Ombudsman to ensure that all parties who are involved in a formal complaint understand their mutual responsibilities.
  2. Complaint Management Policy
    This policy is based around the NSW Ombudsman’s best practice model of complaint management consisting of a set of guiding principles and a three tier response system. The system’s core aims are to:
    • Enable us to respond to issues raised by people making complaints in a timely and cost-effective way.
    • Boost public confidence in our administrative processes, and
    • Provide information that can be used by us to deliver quality improvements in our services, staff and complaint handling.
  3. Dealing with Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy
    This policy recognises that despite having in place best practice systems to manage complaints there will be times when Council will experience unreasonable behavior from complainants. The NSW Ombudsman defines unreasonable complainant conduct as ‘…any behavior by a current or former complainant which, because of the nature of its frequency raises substantial health, safety, resource or equity issues for the parties to a complaint.’ The aim of this policy is to ensure that Council acts fairly, consistently, honestly and appropriately when dealing with unreasonable complainant conduct and to ensure that all staff feel confident and supported in taking action to manage this behavior.
  4. Competitive Neutrality Complaints Policy
    This policy establishes a process for dealing with complaints alleging Council businesses are receiving an unfair competitive or financial advantage in the delivery of services and business activities which are also delivered by the private sector. This policy is based around obligations established under the Policy Statement on ‘Pricing and Costing for Council Businesses – a Guide to Competitive Neutrality’ issued by the Office of Local Government in July 1997.

A crucial aspect of the development of good customer service processes within Council is to ensure we have in place a best practice complaint management system. To assist with this Council has developed a Complaint Management Framework for QPRC which consists of a Charter setting out rights and responsibilities for the parties to a complaint and three core policies (Complaint Management, Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Management and Competitive Neutrality Complaints). Council is seeking community feedback on these draft documents. Set out below is a summary of the Charter and three policies:

  1. The Charter of Individual Rights and Mutual Responsibilities of the Parties to a Complaint
    This Charter is based upon a model developed by the NSW Ombudsman to ensure that all parties who are involved in a formal complaint understand their mutual responsibilities.
  2. Complaint Management Policy
    This policy is based around the NSW Ombudsman’s best practice model of complaint management consisting of a set of guiding principles and a three tier response system. The system’s core aims are to:
    • Enable us to respond to issues raised by people making complaints in a timely and cost-effective way.
    • Boost public confidence in our administrative processes, and
    • Provide information that can be used by us to deliver quality improvements in our services, staff and complaint handling.
  3. Dealing with Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy
    This policy recognises that despite having in place best practice systems to manage complaints there will be times when Council will experience unreasonable behavior from complainants. The NSW Ombudsman defines unreasonable complainant conduct as ‘…any behavior by a current or former complainant which, because of the nature of its frequency raises substantial health, safety, resource or equity issues for the parties to a complaint.’ The aim of this policy is to ensure that Council acts fairly, consistently, honestly and appropriately when dealing with unreasonable complainant conduct and to ensure that all staff feel confident and supported in taking action to manage this behavior.
  4. Competitive Neutrality Complaints Policy
    This policy establishes a process for dealing with complaints alleging Council businesses are receiving an unfair competitive or financial advantage in the delivery of services and business activities which are also delivered by the private sector. This policy is based around obligations established under the Policy Statement on ‘Pricing and Costing for Council Businesses – a Guide to Competitive Neutrality’ issued by the Office of Local Government in July 1997.

Have your say on the Complaints Management Framework

Consultation has concluded