We are listening
Thank you for taking the time to tell us what you think of our service.
Norwich City Council is continually looking to improve the service we offer our customers, so if you've had particularly good or bad service or would like to make a comment, we'd like to hear from you.
How to submit a comment or compliment
If you wish to make a comment or compliment please click here for the online form.
How to submit a complaint
If you wish to make a complaint please click here for the online form.
Alternatively, you can contact us by:
telephone: 0344 980 3333
minicom: 01603 212587
fax: 01603 213000
email: listening@norwich.gov.uk
letter: Norwich City Council, City Hall, Norwich, NR2 1NH
We are listening. Tell us what you think of our service -
click here to download our leaflet (634 Kb pdf)
Whichever way you choose to get in touch please make sure you provide your name and contact details, details about your complaint and what you would like us to do to resolve it.
We are committed to ensuring that all services are tailored to meet the needs of everyone, taking into account of age, gender, ethnicity, lifestyle or disability. All complaints are taken seriously and must be recorded and investigated according to our corporate procedure.
Norwich City Council, our partners and agencies working on our behalf, do not tolerate abusive and violent behaviour against our staff.
A member of the public cannot refuse to be dealt with by a member of staff on the grounds of their ethnicity/culture/faith/disability or sexuality.
If you wish to make a complaint, we strongly recommend you read the following guidance notes.
Complaints guidance policy
What is a complaint?
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about a service provided by the council, or someone acting on behalf of the council.
A complaint is usually about something specific, such as:
- the standard of service provided by the council
- failure by the council to respond to a request for a service
- failure by the council to provide an agreed service
- the council has exceeded its powers
- the attitude or conduct of an officer has been unacceptable
- the council has not followed an agreed procedure
- maladministration by the council.
What is not a complaint?
The complaints procedure does not cover:
- requesting a service
- reporting a fault
- requesting information or explanation about a council policy or practice
- matters for which there is an existing right of appeal or legal remedy eg planning application appeals. These types of matters are dealt with according to the specific nature of the appeal.
The examples below are not dealt with under the complaints procedure, but have a specific appeals process and will be dealt with accordingly:
- parking ticket disputes
- planning application appeals
- housing benefit appeals.
We will not be able to investigate complaints in the following instances unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why the complaint was not raised or corresponded to within the time frames mentioned:
- the complaint has not been reported, but occurred more than 12 months previously
- the complaint has been reported, but 12 months or more have passed since the date of last correspondence.
If the issue you wish to raise is not covered by the complaints form, please email us at info@norwich.gov.uk or call 0344 980 3333.
In the case of a complaint, the following procedure will be followed
Stage 1 - departmental level
Any initial issues raised will be put right, if possible, with the minimum delay. Please explain the reasons for your complaint and what you would like us to do.
If you are not satisfied with your response, then you may take your complaint to stage two.
Stage 2 - director level
If the matter has not been resolved at stage one, further investigations will be carried out. However, you must state the reasons why you do not agree with the stage one response. In the absence of any reasons, the decision is unlikely to change.
If you are not satisfied, then you may take your complaint to stage three
Stage 3 - chief executive level
This is the final stage of the council's complaints procedure. However, you must state the reasons why you do not agree with the stage two response. In absence of any reasons, the decision is unlikely to change. If you are still dissatisfied, then you may refer your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman at the following address:
Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry, CV4 0EH
t: 0300 061 0614/r 0845 602 1983*
*Calls to 03 numbers will cost no more than calls to national geographic numbers (starting 01or 02) from both mobiles and landlines, and will be included as part of any inclusive call minutes or discount schemes in the same way as geographic calls.
What we will do to help resolve your complaint
If a full response cannot be provided within 5 working days, an acknowledgement letter will be sent informing the complainant which officer is dealing with their complaint.
A full response will be provided within 15 working days from the receipt of the complaint.
Unreasonably persistent complainants and unreasonable complainant behaviour
Unreasonable complainants are people who, because of the frequency and/or nature of their contacts with us, hinder our consideration of other peoples’ complaints.
If a complainant is deemed to be unreasonably persistent and he or she has been informed of that decision, all future correspondence will be read and placed on file, but not acknowledge.
Complaints about the conduct of members of the council (councillors)
If you think a councillor has broken the authority's code of conduct and you wish to report them,
click here for guidance on the procedure.
Getting help to make a complaint
You may seek support from others to help you make a complaint such as your local councillor, Member of Parliament or advice organisation. Alternatively, you may prefer support from a friend or relative.
Complaining on behalf of others
Norwich City Council will ensure it complies with the Data Protection Act. If a member of the public is complaining on behalf of someone else, all correspondence relating to the complaint will be sent to the named customer. Correspondence can only be sent to a person other than the named customer if clear evidence is provided stating that this should be the case eg a power of attorney.
What we do with your information
Any personal information that you give the council as part of your complaint will only be used by the council to:
- help address and resolve your concerns
- check whether our services and our complaints procedure are equally accessible to every member of the community
- improve our service and complaints procedure.
Data Protection Act 1998
Information you give us about yourself will be held on a computer or manual record, which you have a right to see and check. Information may be shared with organisations we work with to provide services to you. Information may also be used in connection with prevention and detection of fraud.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The culture of the council is one of openness to the public based on a presumption that information which the council holds should be made available to the public unless such information is covered by a statutory exemption.
For further information see our
Publication scheme (143 Kb pdf).