North Ayrshire Council is committed to providing high quality customer services. If something goes wrong, or you are dissatisfied with our services, please tell us. We use this information to help us improve.
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about:
- our action, or lack of action
- the standard of service provided by us, or on our behalf.
What can't I complain about?
There are some things you can't raise as a complaint. These include:
- making complaints outwith six months of the event you want to complain about (or finding out that you have a reason to complain)
First time requests for a service, such as:
- requesting housing repairs, a new waste bin or reporting graffiti/vandalism
- Reporting faults like potholes, blocked drains or street lighting issues
Queries including:
- requests for information or explanations of council policies or procedures
Other issues, such as:
- information you wish us to supply under the Data Protection Act or Freedom of Information act
- a complaint about your information rights (including data protection, FOI and UK GDPR)
- a request for compensation from the Council (including matters which are in the hands of the council’s insurers)
- issues that are in court or have already been heard by a court or a tribunal
- a disagreement with a decision where a statutory right of appeal exists (e.g. council tax or planning). These should be progressed through the relevant appeal route
- an attempt to re-open a previously concluded complaint, or to have a complaint reconsidered where the Council has already provided its final decision
- a grievance by a Council employee or a grievance relating to employment or recruitment
- a concern about a child or an adult’s safety
- abuse or unsubstantiated allegations about our organisation or employees
- a concern about the actions of a separate organisation (except where the other organisation is delivering services on our behalf)
What can I complain about?
You can complain about things like:
- products and services that were provided by the council, but not to an appropriate standard (e.g. a front door or windows being fitted incorrectly, poor quality street cleaning or grass cutting)
- service requests or queries that were not answered or actioned within the agreed timescales
- treatment by, or attitude of, a member of staff
- missed appointments or call outs
- matters that relate to council policies, but only where the complaint relates specifically to the way the matter was administered.
Complaints procedure
Make a complaint:
Online
Make a complaint online
Telephone
- Contact Centre: 01294 310000/02
- By contacting the relevant department
In Writing
Customer Complaint Team, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE
Complaints relating to North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership should be addressed to:
Health and Social Care Partnership Complaints Department, 5th floor west, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE
In person
At any of our public facing offices
Irvine
Customer Service Centre
Bridgegate House
Irvine KA12 8BD
Largs
Brooksby Medical & Resource Centre
31 Brisbane Road
Largs KA30 8LH
Saltcoats
The Town Hall
Countess Street
Saltcoats KA21 5HW
We have a 2 stage complaints procedure. We will always try to deal with your complaint quickly. If it is clear that the matter will need a detailed investigation, we'll tell you and keep you updated on our progress.
Stage 1: Frontline resolution
We will always try to resolve your complaint quickly, within 5 working days if we can.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can ask us to consider your complaint at Stage 2.
Stage 2: Investigation
We will look at your complaint at this stage if:
- you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage 1: Frontline resolution
- you refuse to co-operate with Stage 1: Frontline resolution
- the issue raised is complex and requires detailed investigation
- the complaint has been identified as serious, high risk or high profile
We may look at complaints immediately at Stage 2, if it is clear that they are complex or need detailed investigation.
We will acknowledge your Stage 2 complaint within 3 working days and will give you our decision as soon as possible. This will be after no more than 20 working days, unless there is clearly a good reason for needing more time.
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO)
If, after receiving our final decision on your complaint, you remain dissatisfied with our decision or the way we have handled your complaint, you can ask the SPSO to consider it.
We'll tell you how to do this when we send you our final decision.
For more information read our Complaints Handling Procedure – Customer Guidance (PDF, 344kb).