Making a Complaint

If you have a complaint about any aspect of a community council, how it conducts its business, or otherwise behaves, then your first action must be to contact the community council and get the opportunity to address your concerns.

Community councils are obliged to have a complaints process in place. The initial process involves raising your complaint as an agenda item at the next meeting of the community council, where it can be discussed and hopefully resolved. The usual way of ensuring your complaint is raised at the next meeting is to write to secretary.utcc@gmail.com outlining your complaint. You have a right to attend the community council meeting, but it is for the meeting chair (usually the convenor) to decide whether you will also be allowed to speak at the meeting. Once the community council has considered your complaint, should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you can raise the issue with Scottish Borders Council who then have discretion as to whether to investigate the matter.

It is a requirement of the current Scheme for Establishment of Community Council for there to be an agreed procedure in place to deal with any complaints made. This Model Complaints Procedure provides guidance for community councils with regards to complaints.