Customer Charter and Service Standards

Quick Links

• Introduction,
• Our Commitment to you,
• What you should expect from us,
• We aim to meet these expectations,
• Staff will,
• Meeting your needs,
• Helping us to help you,
• Telephone,
• Visitors,
• Letters and electronic communications,
• Website,
• Commenting on our services,
• Service Standards,

Introduction

Babergh is committed to ensuring that customers wishing to access the services of the council can do so easily and effectively. 

The Customer Charter gives information on our commitments to our customers and what can be expected from us.  This also includes Service Standards which provide clarity on how long services will take to be delivered and at what intervals, for which the organisation is accountable.

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Our Commitment to you

What you should expect from us:

• Information on what services are available and how to get them.
• Equal and fair access to services.
• Standards setting out the level of service you will receive.
• Your enquiry answered at the first point of contact or clarity on how it is to be answered.
• Value for money.
• Openness, honesty and transparency.

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We aim to meet these expectations by:

• Providing you with information on our services and how to access them.
• Publishing our service standards and referring to these in correspondence with you so that you know what to expect and how well we are performing.
• Training our staff in relevant customer services issues including equality and diversity, so that we complete as much business as we can at the time you contact us and are as efficient and effective as possible.
• Being clear on what we expect from you to help us provide services.
• Having clear decision-making processes.

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Staff will:

• Be welcoming and polite, treating you fairly and with respect.
• Do their best to help you.
• Communicate in plain language.
• Always give their name and role in the organisation. If they visit you, they will show their identity card and answer any questions you may have to establish their identity.
• Where appropriate make an appointment if they specifically need to speak to you at home or at work.
• Explain why, when it is not possible to meet your request, or we do not agree.

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Meeting your needs:

• Our website (www.babergh.gov.uk) is available 24 hours a day and clear links are provided so that it is easy for you to get information, make applications and make payments. Information can be displayed in several formats, both audio and visual, to help those with a disability or who prefer to use an alternative  language.
• We have a minicom (textphone) number (01473 825878) to make it easier and convenient for people with impaired hearing or speech to contact us.
• Our offices at Hadleigh are fully equipped to meet the needs of disabled visitors.  Reserved car parking bays are outside the main entrance. A bus stop and visitor parking are within 100 yards of our main entrance.
• We will visit you if necessary, or if that is the best way of meeting your needs.
• If English is not your first language where necessary or appropriate, we will use an interpreter to be sure that we understand your needs, and also to be sure that you understand your own responsibilities.
• To help and where we can reasonably do so, we will provide any of our letters, leaflets, etc. in large text, audio, Braille or an alternative language.

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Helping us to help you:

Please:

• Treat our staff with the same respect you expect from us.
• Make an appointment if you intend to visit us, particularly if you need to speak to a specific member of staff.
• Let us know if you have any special requirements so that we can provide the right help in the right way.
• Tell us when you think we have done well or not so well.
• Provide any information we need from you, as quickly as possible.
• Have any relevant documents to hand when you call or visit.

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Telephone:

• We aim to connect you to a member of staff within 15 seconds. This is about 5 rings.
• If we cannot connect you to a member of our customer service staff able to deal immediately with your enquiry, you may leave a message on our Customer Service Team answer phone and we will call you back within 4 hours if your call is before 2 p.m. Calls after this time may have to be dealt with the next working day.
• You can make a telephone appointment for us to call you back if that is more convenient to you.
• When our offices are closed, in emergency cases, an alternative number (0845 6013 390) is available.

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Visitors:

• All our reception points and interview rooms will be safe, clean, presentable and pleasant for people to use at all times.
• Visitors with an appointment do not have to wait and any  business will be conducted in a private room.
• We will endeavour to see visitors without an appointment as quickly as possible.  However, there may be a delay if our staff are dealing with earlier enquiries or a private room is unavailable.
• If you need to speak to a specific member of staff, we will:
  • Give you a telephone appointment within the next 48 hours.
  • Give you an office appointment within the next week.
  • In the absence of a specific member of staff (for example, holiday or sickness) give you the opportunity to be contacted by another member of staff from the same area.

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Letters and electronic communications:

• We aim to respond fully within 10 working days.
• We do not normally acknowledge letters and electronic communications (mail, on-line or by text) but if we cannot respond within 10 working days we will tell you why and when you will receive a full reply.

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Website:

• Our website (www.babergh.gov.uk) is available 24 hours a day and clear links are provided so that it is easy for you to get information, make applications and make payments. Information can be displayed in several formats, both audio and visual, to help those with a disability or who prefer to use an alternative language.
• We provide electronic forms so that you can contact us quickly without incurring postage.

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Commenting on our services:

• We welcome and encourage feedback from our customers. It is your right to comment, compliment or complain.
• No one will be treated less favourably because they have questioned or commented on the service we have given.
• If you wish to comment about any aspect of the service you receive from us (whether that is to complain, compliment or simply comment), please let us know as soon as possible.
• If you make a complaint about a service, we aim to respond within 24 hours, either resolving the issue or informing you of the next steps and timescale.  We may need you to provide more information.
• Where a complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, we have a procedure where an investigation is commissioned, and the outcome is reviewed by the Deputy Chief Executive who will make a decision on the issue.
• If we are at fault, we will apologise and put things right.
• If we do not agree on the outcome of a complaint, we will explain your rights to refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman.
• We use your feedback to help develop and improve our services. We aim to:
  • Adapt and be flexible to changing customer needs.
  • Maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.
  • Improve service delivery, using modern technology.

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Service Standards

To ensure our service users are clear what to expect and when they will receive it, we commit to delivering services within the timeframe indicated.  We will:

Abandoned vehicles

• Respond to enquiries about abandoned vehicles within 3 working days, and serve a removal notice if appropriate.
• Arrange to remove each abandoned vehicle within 3 working days of the end of the notice period.

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Benefits

• Make a decision on your entitlement to Housing or Council Tax Benefit within 14 days once we have all the information we need.
• Process changes to existing cases within 5 days.
• Notify you of the outcome of a claim or a change in entitlement, the day a decision is made
• Reconsider a decision, if you ask us to do so, within 1 week
• Give you an appointment for within 1 week, if it is necessary to visit you at home.
• If you make a formal appeal, compile our case and forward it to the Appeals Board within 3 weeks of being advised of the appeal.

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Business (scheme applications) Grants

• Make a decision on Business Growth Loan, Business Start-Up Loan and Redundant Building Workspace Grant scheme applications within 28 days subject to co-operation from applicant’s reference sources.

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Business rates

• Issue a bill or revised bill within 10 days of receiving information which creates or changes liability for Business Rates.
• Give you at least 14 days notice of any change to your payments.
• Set up a Direct Debit arrangement and notify you of the payments due within 3 days of your request. 
• Issue reminder notices or similar documents within 7 days of a payment being missed.

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Car parking

• Deal with Excess Charge Notice appeals within 10 days of receipt.
• Inspect and assess reported problems within 10 working days.

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Community alarms

• Replace inoperative alarm units within 24 hours.
• Transfer your alarm unit to your new property if you are staying within the Babergh District. This will be on the day you move in if you give us at least 2 weeks notice of your move date.

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Contaminated land

• Respond to enquiries about contaminated land within 3 working days.
• Respond to requests for environmental searches within 10 working days.
• Assess ‘simple’ reports of investigations into any soil contamination within 10 working days. However, for major sites, reports can be very complex requiring detailed consideration and analysis. We will inform you where this is the case and indicate when a response will be made.

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Council Housing:

    Choice Based Lettings

• Assess registered applications within 15 working days. 
• Carry out property matching within 10 working days.
• Re-let vacated Council dwelling within 25 working days. 

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    Repairs - council properties

    Urgent repairs requested will be carried out within the following number of days (Right to
    Repair Regulations):

• Total loss of electrical power     1 day
• Unsafe power of lighting socket or electrical fitting     1 day
• Blocked flue to open fire or boiler     1 day
• Blocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack or (where there is no other  working toilet in the dwelling) toilet pan         1 day
• Leaking from water or heating pipe, tank or cistern       1 day
• Unsecured external window, door or lock            1 day
• Total loss of water supply     1 day
• Toilet not flushing (where there is no other working toilet in the dwelling)     1 day
• Total or partial loss of gas supply     1 day
• Total/partial loss of space/water heating (Nov-Apr)     1 day
• Blocked sink, bath or basin     3 days
• Tap which cannot be turned     3 days
• Loose or detached banister or hand rail     3 days
• Partial loss of electrical power     3 days
• Partial loss of water supply     3 days
• Total/partial loss of space/water heating (May-Oct)     3 days
• Rotten timber flooring or stair tread     3 days
• Mechanical extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working     7 days
• Leaking roof     7 days
• Door entry phone not working      7 days
• Non-urgent responsive repairs to be completed within defined 28 (e.g. taps) or 56 (e.g. fencing) day period.

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    Right to buy - council properties

• Acknowledge receipt of applications for Right to Buy Council  residential property within 3 working days of receiving the application.
• Dispatch a notice advising the applicant whether they have the Right to Buy within 4 weeks of receiving the application or 8 weeks if the applicant has been a Council tenant for less than 2 years.

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Council meetings

• Publish agendas and reports for all Council meetings, 5 clear days(i.e. excluding the day the agenda is published, the day of the  meeting, and Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays days).

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Council tax

• Issue a bill or revised bill within 10 days of receiving information which creates or changes liability for Council Tax.
• Give you at least 14 days notice of any change to your payments.
• Set up a Direct Debit arrangement and notify you of the payments due within 3 days of your request. 
• Give you an appointment for within 1 week, if it is necessary to visit you at home.
• Issue reminder notices or similar documents within 7 days of a payment being missed.

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Data Protection Act

• Supply information within 40 working days of a request.

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Dog warden 

• Respond to all reports about dangerous dogs within 1 working hour. These are normally referred to the police.
• Collect secured stray dogs and take to kennels within 24 hours of report.
• Respond to enquiries about barking dogs and dog fouling within 3 working days.

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Elections and electoral registration

• Deliver/post annual canvass forms 11 weeks before the new Register of Electors comes into effect.
• Publish a revised electoral register every year on or before 1 December.
• Process electoral registration applications and publish monthly updates to the Register of Electors (except between October and December) in accordance with statutory deadlines.
• Send poll cards to all electors between 3 and 2 weeks before the day of any Parliamentary, European Parliamentary, County Council, District Council and (where requested by the Parish or Town) Parish and Town Council elections.
• Dispatch ballot papers by first class post between 2 weeks and 1 week before the day of poll.
• Dispatch an application form for service voters, overseas electors and European Citizens applications within 3 working days of application.
• Dispatch application forms for Postal and Proxy facilities within 3 working days of an application.

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Environmental crime, nuisance and anti-social behaviour

• Respond to reports of environmental crime and nuisance, including noise and odour, within 3 working days.
• Respond to reports of antisocial behaviour within 3 working days.

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Food hygiene

• Provide a comprehensive inspection report at the time of inspection clearly indicating required and recommended actions.
• Respond to requests for advice and information about food safety within 3 working days.
• Respond to complaints of poor hygiene and unsatisfactory food within 3 working days.
• When dealing with food complaints, update the complainant at least every 20 working days.

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Fraud

• Assess all suspected fraud cases within 10 days to decide if we need to take any action.

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Freedom of Information

• Respond to requests within 20 working days of the request.

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Health and safety enforcement

• Provide a comprehensive inspection report at the time of inspection clearly indicating required and recommended actions.
• Respond to complaints of poor health and safety within 3 working days.
• Respond to notified accidents within 3 working days confirming  intended course of action.
• Respond to requests for advice and information about health and safety within 3 working days.

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Homelessness

• Make a decision on homelessness applications and issue written notification to the applicant within 33 working days. 

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Infectious diseases - control

• Respond to reports of any notifiable infection where the risk to public health is immediate and significant, including outbreaks, within the same working day.
• Respond to reports of less serious notifiable infections within 3 working days.

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Invoice and debt collection

• Pay invoices that we receive within 30 days, if the goods or services have been supplied in line with an official order.
• Commence action if you have not paid an invoice within 14 days of it becoming due.

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Job vacancies

• Send out application forms and relevant information packs within 24 hours of a request. 
• Return completed acknowledgement cards within 24 hours of receipt of application.
• Send out the letter of appointment within 2 working days of verbal offer and acceptance.

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Land charges

• Complete standard searches within 10 working days of receipt.

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Licensing

• Issue and dispatch licence/permit application forms within 3 working days of request.
• Issue licences within 10 working days of determination.

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Planning:

    Building control

• Arrange site inspections on the same working day for requests received by 10:30 am and within 24 hours for requests after that time.
• Register all applications, assess the charges and acknowledge their receipt within 3 working days.
• Check your application within 5 weeks of receipt (or 8 weeks when an extension of time is agreed).
• Provide you with a completion certificate within 5 working days of satisfactory completion.
• Acknowledge any complaint within 3 working days of it being received and provide you with a response to your complaint within 10 working days. If this is not possible, we will let you know why and arrange another deadline.
• Respond to all reported dangerous structures within 24 hours.
• Issue demolition counter notices within 10 working days on receipt of notification of intended demolition.

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    Development control services

• Determine whether large-scale applications are valid within 10  working days of receipt.
• Determine whether small-scale major applications are valid within 5 working days of receipt.
• Determine whether minor/other applications are valid within 3 working days from the date of receipt.
• Place details of all planning and associated applications on our website within 5 working days following registration.
• Process large and small-scale major applications within 13 weeks.
• Process minor applications within 8 weeks.
• Process other applications within 8 weeks.
• Respond to general enquiries not requiring research, including general advice, within 10 working days.
• Respond to permitted development enquiries for householder  development within 20 working days.
• Respond to requests for the discharge of planning conditions within 8 weeks.

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    Enforcement

• Investigate any urgent (high priority) alleged breaches of planning control within 3 working days.
• Confirm in writing, within 10 working days, the action we intend to take in investigating your complaint and explain why we are doing so.
• Investigate all other alleged breaches of planning control in accordance with our Planning Enforcement Policy, which considers risk, impact, expediency and the public good.

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Play areas

• Arrange all urgent repairs to play areas within 7 days of report of the problem.
• Arrange all other repairs to play areas with 28 days of report of the problem.
• On receipt of an enquiry necessitating a site inspection, carry out an inspection within 1 month.
• Visit every parish at least once a year to ensure service standards are upheld.

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Private Sector housing

• Respond to initial enquiries about housing conditions within 3 working days.

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Private sector housing – adaptation grants

• Carry out an initial inspection of all grant/loan enquiries within 10 working days of receipt of an enquiry.
• Prepare a Schedule of Works within 15 working days of initial inspection.
• Send out a full application pack within 15 workings days following formal agreement of the schedule of Works or, in the case of disabled facilities grants, of the Occupational Therapist’s written agreement to the nature and extent of works needed.
• Issue Grant/loan approvals within 20 working days of a complete application being received as long as funding remains available.
• Make payments within 15 days of receipt of invoices conditional on grant completion being certified prior to receipt of invoice.

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Public toilets

• Inspect and clean all public toilets every day.
• Respond to matters raised by the public within 1 working day.

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Street cleansing

• Following a request from a member of the public, remove dumped rubbish and fly tipping by the end of the next working day.
• Respond to requests to empty a litter or dog bin by the end of the next working day.

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Tourist information centres

• Not keep customers waiting for longer than 5 minutes without acknowledging them and explaining why there is a delay.
• Respond to requests for information within 2 working days.

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Waste and recycling

• Respond to any report of a missed bin collection by the end of the next working day.
• Respond to any report of a bin being damaged or stolen by delivering a replacement within 7 working days, of receipt of any relevant payment.
• Collect bulky waste within 10 working days of the booking (including payment) being confirmed.

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