Complaints and compliments
Making a complaint...
Although our staff are hardworking and committed to providing a good service, there may be occasions when you feel that they have failed to meet your expectations.
You may consider that they have not met the published standards of service or that they have acted, or failed to act, in an appropriate manner. You may also be concerned about a policy or the lack of action of the National Park Authority itself.
If your complaint is about a member of staff, why not talk to him or her directly? You may find that the matter can easily be resolved.
If you are not happy with the response, or feel your complaint is serious, you should put the matter in writing as clearly and as soon as you can to make a formal complaint. You can either write a letter, complete the form below or the online form or email us at feedback@northyorkmoors-npa.gov.uk Please click on links below.
Download a Complaints and Compliments Form.
It helps if you can make your complaint within four weeks of the problem taking place. This means that our staff, who are working on many issues at the same time, will still have your problem fresh in their minds.
If you prefer, and feel it appropriate, you can ask a Member of the Authority or your Member of Parliament to take up the matter for you.
You also have the option of referring your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman, although they usually expect you to have raised your concerns with the Authority first.
...or complimenting us
The Authority appreciates feedback of all kinds, whether positive or negative, and uses it to develop or improve services.
As well as complaints we would also appreciate it if you would let us know if a particular service you received was of a high standard, or if you feel that a member of staff did something particularly well.
What Happens Next?
If you send a written or e-mailed complaint, we will send you a written acknowledgement within three working days. This will tell you who is dealing with your complaint and a date by which you should receive a response.
You may be asked to provide more details or to discuss the matter with the member of staff who is investigating your complaint.
Your complaint will receive attention under one of the two stages of the complaints procedure listed below. If you are unhappy with the response you receive as a result of the investigation, please let us know and your complaint will be investigated at the next level.
If your complaint is dealt with at Stage 1 of the procedure, you will normally receive a letter explaining the findings of the investigation into your complaint within 10 working days of us receiving your complaint. Stage 2 complaints will normally be responded to within 20 working days, to enable a more comprehensive investigation to take place if necessary. If we are unable to reply within these timescales you will be notified in writing. If appropriate a proposed solution to your complaint will be suggested.
Stage 1
A Director will investigate your complaint and report their findings to you.
Stage 2
The Chief Executive (National Park Officer) will deal with the investigation of complaints which have already been considered at Stage 1, or are matters of such a serious nature that they warrant an investigation at this level. The Chief Executive will have the option of referring complaints to the Performance Monitoring and Management Committee for confirmation of his findings, this may be done at any stage and will usually involve a delay in a final reply to the complainant.
If the complaint is about the Chief Executive, it will be referred to the Chairman of the National Park Authority; he/she will arrange for an investigation to take place and then the matter will be considered by the Performance Monitoring and Management Committee.
Sometimes the Authority may decide to employ the services of a suitably qualified individual to help the officer investigate a complaint.
It is the policy of this Authority not to publish details of complaints or compliments. Information about your complaint or compliment will, however, be published in a confidential report to Members; a basic summary of their discussions in relation to this report will be made public.
Local Government Ombudsman
If you are unhappy with the way the Authority has dealt with your complaint you may complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. Further details are available on request from the National Park Office, at www.lgo.org.uk or you can telephone the Advice Line on 0845 6021983.
You are usually required to exhaust the Authority’s complaints procedure before referring the matter to the Ombudsman. Occasionally you may be directed to the Ombudsman by the Authority before all the stages of the internal procedure have been exhausted. This will only be done where it is felt that nothing further will be achieved by dealing with the matter internally.
You can see the Local Government Ombudsman's Annual Review of the Authority here.
The Standards Board
Complaints about Members’ conduct are dealt with by the Authority’s Standards Committee. The Standards Committee includes a number of Members who are independent of the Authority.
The Standards Committee can only deal with complaints about the behaviour of a Member and cannot deal with complaints unrelated to the Members’ Code of Conduct. If you make a complaint to the Standards Committee it must be about why you think a Member has not followed the Code (copy available on request).
Examples of a breach of the Code by Members might include:
• A failure to treat others with respect;
• bringing the Authority into disrepute;
• a failure to register financial or certain other interests;
• a failure to disclose a personal interest at a meeting;
• a misuse of the Authority’s resources;
• using their position improperly, to their own or someone else’s advantage or disadvantage.
If you want to complain about the conduct of a Member of the North York Moors National Park Authority you must submit your complaint, in writing, to: the Standards Committee c/o The Monitoring Officer at the National Park Authority’s address below.
The Standards Board (an independent, national body) remains a key part of the ethical framework, providing advice and guidance to authorities on the framework and acting as a ‘light touch’ regulator. The Board may also investigate certain, more serious, complaints in particular, limited circumstances.
Please visit the Standards Board’s website at www.standardsboard.gov.uk for further information on the national standards regime.
or contact the Board at:
The Standards Board for England
Fourth Floor
Griffin House
40 Lever Street
Manchester
M1 1BB
Telephone: 0161 817 5300
mailto:enquiries@standardsboard.gov.uk
Please click here to download a copy of the Code of Conduct for Members.
View the Complaints and Compliments leaflet here.
View the Making a Complaint about an Authority Member Leaflet here.
