To expect the council to respond to my complaint

[BeautifulBirds]

I complained to my local council on 3rd December using their online portal. The complaint shows as closed a second after I submitted it.

I have emailed 3 times, tried to call multiple times. There is no direct dial for the department so have to be transferred though. It bounces back to the operator.

I've messaged via Facebook.

No response at all.

Does anyone know what my next steps are, please?

Contact the councillor directly.

Contact your local councillor, who'll have ways of getting through which you don't possess

Submit it again?

You could contact your local MP.

Personally, I found going down there and talking to them in person to be the quickest method.

It's so annoying, I feel for you.

When I got a lodger and contacted them to tell them I was no longer entitled to the single person discount, it was all dealt with that week.

When I contacted them to tell them my lodger had left and could I please have the discount back, I heard nothing for 5 months. Yes 5 months. Had to make an official complaint and it was all dealt with that week.

Is there an option for you to make an official complaint?

What was the complaint about? Are you using the right system? If it's pot holes, there might be a different complaint system you need to use.

Speak to your ward councillor. Most of them are very keen to help and pushing the local council to respond is well within their remit. You MP deals with central government

If your council is as corrupt as mine the very best of luck op...

Thanks all.

I'm not submitting again, I think 4 attempts is enough.

It's about leisure services, which were cancelled. I want a refund of monies paid.

Probably why they are ignoring me!

Same op, only I submitted on 18th December. Not a word.

@booktokbear it's so bad! And quite inaccessible.

It's not a lot of money, but it's mine and I want it back!

Exactly, they're quick to take ours.

Mine is about a noise complaint so doubt I'll ever get a resolution and the (neighbours) noise is driving me insane!

Good luck - you'll need it. I made an official complaint about a planning issue - it went through several stages - they missed their targets at every step. I was hoping I could ultimately complain to the Local Government Ombudsman, but the Council stopped dealing with correspondence and the LGO won't deal with you until you exhaust the Council process so I had to give up as I don't have unlimited time and resources to chase the Council.

The issue is that a local housing estate included a condition that the developer make junction improvements nearby. They didn't comply and the Council don't care. Then the developer, having completed the housing, made a planning application to overturn the condition they were in breach of. That application was in November 2021 and the Council still hasn't made a decision.

@WeeJimmycranky that's awful.

I was going to complain to the ombudsman but don't think I can for the same reasons.

How can councils be allowed to ignore complaints?

Agree with others - email your local councillor. I've always found mine extremely helpful.