Complaints and compliments

Report a fault on a road or pavement

The quickest way to tell us about something is to use our online tool. The tool allows you to report:

• street light faults
• potholes
• drainage issues
• traffic signal faults
• verge maintenance.

Online fault reporting tool

A complaint is not the quickest way to let us know of a fault on the road or pavement.

If you need an insurance claim form for vehicle damage, read how to make a claim for it.

How to make a complaint about our service

To make a complaint about the service received from our highways and transportation team, use our complaints form.

This form is only for complaints about the service you have received from us for:

• highways (excluding reporting problems)
• driver diversionary schemes (road awareness courses)
• young person's and 16+ travel passes.

Or call 03000 41 81 81 to speak to a member of our team.

Responses

You will get an acknowledgment or a call within 72 hours of your report. A member of our highways staff will contact you

We aim to resolve your complaint within 20 working days at the latest.

If your complaint will take longer we will keep you informed of the progress.

Your borough and district councils are responsible for:

• dog waste
• fly-tipping
• household waste bin emptying/ collections
• litter
• street cleaning
• roadside waste bins.

How to make a complaint

We are responsible for the Household Waste Recycling Centres in Kent.

Make a complaint online about:

• our HWRC policy (restrictions on vehicles, commercial waste, pedestrians etc)
• HWRC voucher scheme eligibility
• the level of service provided at HWRC.

Make a complaint or email wastesupport@kent.gov.uk.

Responses

We aim to respond to your complaint within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know.

Report or track a fault on a public right of way

Let us know of any non-urgent issues online including:

• broken stiles
• overgrown vegetation or fallen trees
• damaged or dangerous path surfaces
• damaged or missing signposts.

The tool allows you to track any existing faults.

How to make a complaint

To complain about the Public Rights of Way and access service use our complaints form or email prow@kent.gov.uk.

This form is only for complaints about the service you have received from us for:

• public rights of way (excluding reporting problems)
• common land and village greens
• applications to alter or add a public right of way
• applications for byway permits or temporary closures.

Responses

We aim to resolve your complaint within 20 working days at the latest. If your complaint will take longer we will keep you informed of the progress.

How to make a complaint

Let us know about any aspect of the service we provide for:

• KCC Travel Saver
• KCC 16+ Travel Saver
• older or disabled person's bus passes.

Make a complaint.

Choose 'Highways and transportation' from the 'complaint is about' drop down list to make sure your feedback gets to the right team.

Or email:

• kcctravelsaver@kent.gov.uk
• kcc16plustravelsaver@kent.gov.uk
• buspass@kent.gov.uk.

Responses

Once reported, we aim to resolve your complaint within 20 working days at the latest. If your complaint will take longer we will keep you informed of the progress.

You, or someone on your behalf, can complain about our adult social care services, whether you use them or not. You will not face any disadvantages.

If someone else complains for you (a relative, carer, friend, or advocate), we may need your consent.

If you need help making a complaint, a member of our Customer Care and Complaints Team can help you.

We are only required to deal with complaints about events from the past 12 months. Our complaints procedure cannot change decisions made by a court of law.

If you have a private arrangement with a social care provider, they must deal with any complaints with you.

Step 1

Speak to the person you are dealing with or their manager (most problems are sorted out this way), or tell us about the complaint:

• fill in our online form
• email: customercarecomplaintsadults@kent.gov.uk
• call: 03000 41 04 10
• write to: Customer Care and Complaints Team, 3rd floor Invicta House, County Road, Maidstone ME14 1XX
• text relay: 18001 03000 41 04 10.

For more information read our guide to making a complaint, comment or compliment about adult social care (PDF, 192.8 KB) or read our easy read version (PDF, 562.2 KB).

Responses

We will acknowledge your complaint to confirm we received it. A member of the complaints team will contact you to discuss a plan to address your concerns.

This will normally take 3 working days.

We aim to respond to most complaints within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know. We will listen to, investigate, and respond to your complaint fairly.

Step 2

If we have not been able to resolve your complaint, contact our Customer Care and Complaints Team. Our contact information is above. If you are not happy with the response, contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). They will review how we handled your complaint.

Anyone who funds their own care, including those using a direct payment, has the right to refer their complaints to the LGSCO.

To contact the LGSCO:

• complete the online form on The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website
• call 0300 061 0614
• write to The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH.

This complaints procedure is for children, young people and those closely connected with them.

If we can't handle your complaint under the statutory complaints procedure, it may be that your concerns can be progressed through the council’s own complaints procedure. There are some circumstances which prevent us from progressing your complaint. If we are unable to handle your complaint through either procedure, we will let you know the reason why.

We are only required to deal with complaints about events that happened in the past 12 months. Contact us for advice if your complaint is before then.

Step 1

Contact us with details of your complaint:

• fill in our online form
• write to Kent Children's Social Services, Customer Care, Kroner House, Eurogate Business Park, Ashford, TN24 8XU
• call 03000 41 11 11
• email cscomplaints@kent.gov.uk
• text 07860008025, start your message with the word complaint.

We can help you put your complaint in writing or give you advice.

Responses

If we can progress your complaint we will then look into the issues and try to help, and you will receive a written reply from a senior manager. We aim to resolve your complaint within 10 working days, and by 20 working days at the latest. If your complaint will take longer we will keep you informed of the progress.

Step 2

If you aren't satisfied with the first response to your complaint, you have the right to take it further. Read how to take your complaint further.

Complaints about schools and academies

Schools and academies deal with complaints themselves. These are not the responsibility of the council.

Each school and academy is required to have its own complaints procedure. Contact them directly or visit their website for further information. The complaints procedure will focus on resolving concerns as early as possible.

Complaints procedures may vary, however they generally include progression through the following stages:

Stage 1

Raise your complaint with a staff member (though not if they are the subject of the complaint).

Stage 2

Progress your complaint to the head teacher or Head of School if you are not satisfied with the first response.

Stage 3

Progress your complaint to the Chair of Governors.

Stage 4

Progress your complaint to the Governing Body’s complaints appeal panel.

If your complaint is about the headteacher write to the Chair of Governors for the school.

If you go through all four stages and are not happy with the response, write to the Secretary of State for Education about a maintained school or to the Education Funding Agency if you are dealing with an academy. You will need to list the steps you have already taken and the responses you have received.

For a complaint about a maintained school write to:

The Secretary of State
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
London SW1

Or submit a form online.

Step 1

Raise the issue directly with the person you have been dealing with, or their immediate manager. Most problems can be resolved this way.

Step 2

If you need to take your complaint further:

• fill in our online form
• call 03000 41 41 41 or text relay 18001 03000 41 41 41
• email county.hall@kent.gov.uk
• send a letter to the corporate director.

Step 3

If you are still not satisfied, you have the right to take your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Complete the form on The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website or call their advice line on 0300 061 0614.

Or complain to the Education and Skills Funding Agency by following the procedure on Education and Skills Funding Agency Complaints Procedure under the heading "Colleges, training providers and employers". If you live in a Greater London Authority area email skillscomplaints@london.gov.uk.

Responses

You will get an acknowledgement within 3 working days. A full reply to your complaint will be sent within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know.

This complaints and appeals procedure relates to the government’s free early education and childcare schemes for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds.

Parents' complaints and appeals

If you find it hard to get an early education and childcare place contact our childcare advice line. We can provide a brokerage service to support you to find a place.

Where a place cannot be found, complete our online form or write to us, and we will submit the complaint on your behalf.

If you need to appeal because you wish to change your child’s setting after headcount week, or who wish to increase their universal hours after headcount week:

• Contact our childcare advice line. We will help you decide if you have grounds to make an appeal.
• Submit a formal appeal through our childcare advice line by providing us with the necessary information and evidence. Your appeal will be acknowledged within 5 working days. A decision to uphold or not uphold an appeal is made within 20 working days, unless more time is needed to collect further information. We will keep you updated if this is the case.
• If your appeal is not upheld, submit a complaint. Fill in our online form, email or by call us.

If you wish to complain about the way the free early education and childcare place is being delivered:

• Approach your childcare provider, first by informal discussion and then if necessary through the provider’s formal complaints procedure.
• If you are not satisfied with the outcome of making a complaint to the provider, contact our childcare advice line. You can expect to receive advice on any limitations we may have in hearing a complaint and support to make a complaint. Complaints can be made:
  • in writing
  • by calling our childcare advice line
  • by completing our online form.

A full reply to your complaint will be sent to you within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know.

For all the above, if you are not satisfied with the way the complaint has been dealt with by us or believe we have acted unreasonably, contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Complaints are normally only considered when the local complaints procedures have been exhausted.

Provider complaints

For childcare providers with a complaint relating to the delivery of the free early education and childcare entitlement.

Step 1

Take up your complaint directly with the Head of Service. We will aim to sort out the problem as quickly and as easily as possible. Depending on the complexity of the complaint, this could take up to 20 working days.

Complete our online form and address to the following:

• Early Years and Childcare Service for complaints relating to the general administration of the funding or relating to the withdrawal of funding from a provider
  • Alex Gamby, Head of Early Years and Childcare.
• Management Information for complaints relating to the systems and processes used for the counting and payment calculation for funded children
  • Katherine Atkinson, Head of Information and Intelligence.

Or write to them at Kent County Council, Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone, ME14 1XQ.

Step 2

If you remain dissatisfied escalate your complaint by writing to the Divisional Director or fill in our online form. When we receive your complaint we will:

• acknowledge receipt of the complaint within three working days
• aim to resolve your complaint or appeal within 20 working days, providing a full account of its findings and any actions resulting from the investigation
• inform and update you where this timescale cannot be met.

Step 3

If you are not satisfied with the way the complaint has been dealt with by us or believe we have acted unreasonably contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

To request information submit a freedom of information request or a subject access request online.

To complain about our response to a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act or related legislation follow these steps:

Step 1

Send full details of your complaint asking for an internal review to freedomofinformation@kent.gov.uk or to the Head of Paid Service, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.

Step 2

If you are still unhappy, raise the matter with the Information Commissioner:

• call 0303 123 1113
• email casework@ico.org.uk
• go to the Information Commission website.

If you suspect a Data Protection breach, please email details to dataprotection@kent.gov.uk.

Our county councillors all adhere to the Kent Code of Conduct for Members.

Step 1

Read:

• our guide on how to make a complaint (PDF, 161.8 KB)
• process for handling Code of Conduct complaints (PDF, 543.3 KB)
• the Kent Code of Conduct for Members (PDF, 180.7 KB).

Complaints alleging that councillors have breached the code of conduct are reviewed by a Monitoring Officer and an Independent Person. They decide if any action should be taken and if the matter should be referred to the Standards Committee.

They will not deal with complaints about things that are not covered by the Kent Code of Conduct for Members. Your complaint must state why you think the councillor has not followed the Kent Code of Conduct for Members.

Step 2

To send your complaint:

• email democratic.services@kent.gov.uk
• print and post the councillor complaints form (DOCX, 226.5 KB) to Democratic Services, Kent County Council, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.

To make a complaint about Trading Standards Checked please follow this process.

Our online form also allows you to make a complaint if you are a trader whose application has been declined and you would like to appeal the decision. There is no right to appeal on the grounds you disagree with the decision, however if you feel we have incorrect information and you can provide evidence to support this, we may consider this information.

Do not use this form to complain about work completed by a tradesman on the Trading Standards Checked Scheme.

Alternatively, find out how to report a problem with a trader or product to Trading Standards by contacting our partner agency, Citizens Advice consumer helpline.

Step 1

• fill in our online form
• call 03000 41 41 41 or text relay 18001 03000 41 41 41
• email tschecked@kent.gov.uk

Responses

You will get an acknowledgement within 3 working days. A full reply to your complaint will be sent within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know.

Step 2

If you are not satisfied with the response from Step 1, you can progress your complaint to Step 2. Your complaint will be sent to the Head of Trading Standards for a response or decision. You will receive a reply within 20 working days.

Step 3

If you are still not satisfied, you have the right to take your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Complete the form on The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website or call their advice line on 0300 061 0614.

There is no right to appeal, or challenge a decision made by the ADR Official, through our complaints process.

Once a decision has been made, both parties have the right to either accept or reject the decision. If either, or both parties reject the decision, the next step would be to consider making a claim through the courts, at your own expense.

Further information on how to make a claim is available on the GOV.UK website.

If you have a complaint about how the scheme is administrated, or how your case was handled, for example how the evidence and comments were collated and shared with parties, fill in our online form.

Before submitting a formal complaint we would advise initially raising any issues directly with person you have been dealing with or their immediate manager. Most problems can be resolved this way.

However if you do wish to submit a formal complaint please follow the below steps.

Step 1

To submit your complaint:

• fill in our online form
• call 03000 41 41 41 or text relay 18001 03000 41 41 41
• or email county.hall@kent.gov.uk

Step 2

If you need to take your complaint further, please respond to the contact details given to you in your Stage 1 response and we will arrange for the relevant service or corporate director to respond.

Step 3

If you are still not satisfied, you have the right to take your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Complete the form on The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website or call their advice line on 0300 061 0614.

Responses

You will get an acknowledgement within 3 working days. A full reply to your complaint will be sent within 20 working days. However, complex complaints may mean we need more time to investigate. If there are any delays, we will let you know.

If you call or visit one of our offices, our staff will try to help you by answering your query or getting the details needed to investigate it. They will call or write to you with the outcome of the investigation.

Your councillor may be able to help resolve your complaint by pursuing it with the relevant service for you.

We are committed to dealing with all complaints equitably, comprehensively and in a timely manner. We do not normally limit the contact which complainants have with our staff and offices.

The aim of this guidance is to contribute to our overall aim of dealing with all complainants in ways which are consistent and equitable.

It sets out how we will decide which customers will be treated as unreasonably persistent and what we will do in those circumstances.

We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, violence, offensive or unacceptable behaviour towards any of our colleagues.

Our employees, partners, members, volunteers and service users deserve respect, and we expect the same from from them in their interactions with others.

We have a zero-tolerance policy to discriminatory behaviour and will act quickly and decisively on any reports of inappropriate behaviour.

Read our vexatious and unreasonably persistent guidance (PDF, 254.5 KB).