Getting help to make your complaint Complaints against Councillors Our contact details We understand that you may be unable, or reluctant, to make a Any complaint about the conduct of a Councillor should be sent in Please contact us: complaint yourself. We can take complaints from a friend, relative, writing to: or an advocate, if you have given them your consent to complain in person at one of the Council Access Points: for you. Head of Legal and Democratic Services Moray Council, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX • The Annexe, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX You can find out about advocates in your area by contacting the • 13 Cluny Square, , AB56 1AJ Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance: or contact: • Auchernack, High Street, , IV36 1DX Public Standards Commissioner for • The Resource Centre, 26 Mid Street, Keith, AB55 5AH by telephone: 39 Drumsheugh Gardens, , EH3 7SW 0131 260 5380 by post: by email: Complaints Officer by email: [email protected] Moray Council, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX [email protected] Alternative Languages & Formats by telephone: or online: If you need information from Moray Council in a different 01343 543451 www.siaa.org.uk language or format, such as Braille, audio tape or large print, please contact us using the details below. by email: We are committed to making our service easy to use for all [email protected] members of the community. In line with our statutory equalities duties, we will always ensure that reasonable adjustments are or online: made to help customers access and use our services. If you have www.moray.gov.uk/complaints trouble putting your complaint in writing, tell us in person or contact us using the details overleaf.

D-03304 - Produced by Moray Council Moray Council is committed to providing high-quality customer How long do I have to make a complaint? What if I’m still dissatisfied? services. We value complaints and use information from them to Normally, you must make your complaint within 6 months of: After we have fully investigated your complaint, if you are still You can contact the improve our services. dissatisfied with our decision or the way we dealt with your SPSO: • the event, or complaint, you can ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman If something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our services, • finding out that you have a reason to complain, or (SPSO) to look at it. in person at: please tell us. • we may accept a complaint after the time limit, in exceptional SPSO, Bridgeside House, circumstances. The SPSO cannot normally look at: 99 McDonald Road, Edinburgh What is a complaint? EH7 4NS We regard a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction, from a What happens when I complain? • a complaint that has not completed the Council’s complaints member of the public, about our action or lack of action, or about Our complaints procedure has two stages: procedure by post: the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf. • events that happened, or that you became aware of, more Freepost SPSO 1. Frontline Resolution than a year ago How do I complain? We will give you our decision within five working days, unless • a matter that has been or is being considered in court by freephone: You can complain by email, in writing, in person at any Access there are exceptional circumstances. If we can’t resolve your 0800 377 7330 Point, or by phone. complaint at this stage, or you are still dissatisfied, it will be escalated to an investigation. or online: It’s usually easier for us to resolve complaints if you make them www.spso.org.uk quickly and directly to the service concerned. Please talk to a 2. Investigation member of our staff at the service you are complaining about. When investigating we will: mobile site: They will try to resolve the problem on the spot. http://m.spso.org.uk • tell you who is dealing with your complaint When complaining, tell us: • acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 working days • discuss your complaint with you to understand why you • your full name and address remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are looking for • how we can contact you • give you a full response to the complaint as soon as possible • as much as you can about the complaint and within 20 working days • what you expect to see happen as a result of your complaint • If our investigation will take longer than 20 working days, we will advise you of the revised time limits.