Making a complaint

Council recognises that from time to time, service delivery does not meet our required standards.

Council welcomes complaints as well as compliments and will endeavour to use them as a tool to monitor and respond to customer expectations, and to improve services to ratepayers and residents. 

In accordance with Council's Complaints Policy,(PDF, 194KB) we aim to resolve complaints within 30 calendar days. Where the investigation will exceed 30 calendar days, we will contact you to discuss the need for additional time to complete the investigation.

Complaints must be in writing and can be submitted via Council's Online Form or PDF Form.(PDF, 60KB)

Complaints may be submitted:

Definition of a Complaint

Council defines a complaint as:

‘A communication (verbal or written) to the Council which expresses dissatisfaction about:

  • the quality of an action, decision or service provided by Council staff or a Council contractor
  • a delay by Council staff or a Council contractor in taking an action, making a decision or delivering a service
  • a policy or decision made by the Council, Council staff or a Council contractor’.

Not a complaint?

I want to lodge a service request.

A complaint is not a:

  1. Insurance claim;
  2. Protected disclosure (i.e. complaints about fraud and corrupt conduct – such complaints are managed by the Protected Disclosure process);
  3. Planning objection (these have an existing process for review and appeal – details are available on Council’s website here);
  4. Local Laws dispute;
  5. Disputes about decisions to impose special rates or charges, or the validity of an election;
  6. Feedback related to proposals for public comment (e.g. proposals for comment made under section 223 of the Victorian Local Government Act 1989); or
  7. Matters over which Council has no jurisdiction or is not empowered to resolve.

If you are still dissatisfied with the response received, you may request a review of your complaint by contacting the Victorian Ombudsman on (03) 9613 6222 or 1800 806 314.

The following gives a summary of the types of complaints the different oversight agencies are able to accept in relation to Local Government activities: 

Council's Complaint Handling Policy  Local Government Inspectorate  Ombudsman IBAC (Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission)

An expression of dissatisfaction with a Council policy, Councillor, procedure, staff member/s, fees

and charges, agents, quality of service, or the complaints-handling process itself.

Complaints about Victorian Councils that relate to breaches of the Local Government Act 2020, for example,

  • Conflicts of interest – relating to sections 127-131 of the Local Government Act
  • Local government elections
  • Misuse of position – section 123 of the Local Government Act 2020
  • disclosure of confidential information – section 125 of the Local Government Act

Complaints about decisions made by Council – such as service, communication, and compliance with polices, procedures or the way a council has managed a complaint.

Corrupt conduct such as where allegations would relate to bribes, dishonesty or influence, committing fraud, misusing information or material acquired at work, conspiring to engage in corrupt conduct, or failure to declare a conflict of interest.
  

Visit the Local Government Inspectorate website.

Call: 1800 469 359

Email: inspectorate@lgi.vic.gov.au

Visit the Ombudsman website

Call: (03) 9613 6222

Visit the IBAC website

Call: 1300 735 135

Email: info@ibac.vic.gov.au
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