If you are not satisfied with the response from stage 1
Stage 2 - review stage
If you remain dissatisfied with the response you have received at stage 1, you can request that the Council carries out a stage 2 review and this will be undertaken by a senior manager from another service. You will need to be clear on the points that you disagree with and why the response was not what you were expecting.
Please be aware that the review will be focused on the initial complaint that was submitted and, under normal circumstances, will not consider fresh issues that have not been raised at the outset.
It is imperative for the purpose of transparency and independence that any Stage 2 review is conducted by an independent Senior Manager. This manager, even though they may not have the detailed technical understanding of a specific subject area, will have the ability to request specialist and appropriate support as well as make recommendations, implement findings and apply influence when required.
How long will it take?
We aim to respond within 25 working days, but we will let you know if it will be longer.
Again, if you do not receive a response to your complaint within 10 weeks, you are entitled to escalate your complaint to a more senior officer (unless you have been advised that an ongoing investigation is taking place).
If you are not satisfied with the Stage 2 Review
Should you remain dissatisfied you can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to review your complaint. You usually have up to 12 months to do this, starting from the date you first knew about the matter you complained about, not from the date of this letter.
The Ombudsman looks at individual complaints about councils and some other organisations providing local public services. It investigates matters fairly and impartially and is free to use. There are some matters the Ombudsman cannot or will not investigate. In these cases, it will clearly explain the reason for its decision.
Contact details for the Ombudsman
Website: www.lgo.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 061 0614
Procedure administration
| Name | Role | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Vicki Lungley | Customer Interaction Delivery Manger | March 2026 |
| Approved by | Fergus Adams | Head of Customer Experience and Delivery | March 2026 |
| Review | Vicki Lungley Richard Lamb |
Customer Interaction Delivery Manager Customer Services Team Leader - Complaints |
March 2026 |
Amendments in March 2026
Updated Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Code.
Next review
March 2028, unless revised guidance is received from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.