Taking My Complaint Further
Can I take my complaint further?
Yes. The Local Government Ombudsman is appointed by the Government to investigate complaints against local authorities. You can complain to the Ombudsman at any time but the Ombudsman will usually only investigate your complaint after you have been through the Council’s complaints procedure.
For information on how to complain to the Ombudsman you can phone 0845 602 1983 or visit their website at www.lgo.org.uk
Do you deal with all complaints in the same way?
No, there are some complaints which we deal with under special procedures. This could be because we have to do this by law, or because there is a separate appeals process (for example, planning appeals). In these cases we will tell you how you should make your appeal.
Complaints against councillors
All of our councillors have agreed to follow a code of conduct. If you think that a councillor may not have followed the code, you can complain to the Council's Monitoring Officer. You cannot complain to the Monitoring Officer simply because you disagree with a councillor’s views or because you think they have voted the wrong way on an issue.
You can see a copy of the code of conduct online.
Can I get help from my MP or councillor?
Yes, you can make a complaint to your MP or local councillor. Follow the link for details of your Members of Parliament and councillors or telephone 01462 611222 or 08452 304040.
Where can I get independent advice?
You can get independent advice from a citizens advice bureau at the following addresses:
The Court House, Woburn Street, Ampthill, Beds, MK45 2HX, Tel: 01525 404511
Century House, Market Square, Biggleswade, Beds, SG18 8UU, Tel: 01767 314961
Or visit the CAB Website for information.
Further information:
* Download Complaints Complaints Procedure (application/pdf; 46kb)
