Report Summary
The Authority has a set of procedures that details how it will handle a relevant complaint to ensure transparency, equality of treatment, common understanding and public accountability.
As this document constitutes actual working procedures, it covers a significant amount of detail. However, it is hoped that by sharing the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ of its complaint handling, this will allow the Authority to focus its efforts on dealing effectively with all complaints. It also highlights what the Authority will do if there are complaints which do not fall within our remit, or if we consider a complainer’s actions to be unacceptable.
Stage 1 - Notification of Complaint
Complaints may be received by the SPA in writing, verbally, or by any means of electronic communication. Complaints may be made by a complainer or by a third party acting on behalf of a complainer with their consent.
The complainer will be informed of the next steps of the complaint process and directed to the Complaints section of the SPA’s website. The individual needs of the complainer will be considered by the person notified of the complaint.
Complaints will be taken at face value and, in the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, will be assumed to have been made in good faith.
In order to progress a complaint, the SPA Complaints Team will contact the complainer to discuss the details of the complaint, to obtain further information or in some cases to resolve the complaint. This may be done by telephone, email, letter or, in some instances, a face to face meeting if this is deemed appropriate.
