How to make a complaint or suggestion, raise a concern or pay a compliment
Although we make every effort to provide the best possible service, we may sometimes make mistakes. If things do go wrong, we will say sorry, put things right as far as we can, and make every effort to learn from the experience and improve the way we deliver our services. We also aim to learn from things we do well, and to address concerns and investigate the improvement opportunities by acting on suggestions received.
- Online form: Click here
- Telephone: 01296 744000
- Email: enquiries@bucksfire.gov.uk
- Fax: 01296 744600
- In writing: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service HQ, Stocklake, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1BD
- Face-to-face: At any of our 20 fire stations or at the address above
If it is urgent
Please telephone so that we can address the issue as soon as possible. If your call is made outside normal office hours, and it is urgent – for instance, something that is a potential danger to the public – we will notify the duty officer who will take appropriate action.
During operational incidents
While we welcome face-to-face contact, when an operational incident is in progress it is not possible for an officer to become involved in a discussion which could impact on operational efficiency or compromise the health and safety of the incident ground. The incident commander will, if possible, arrange to contact you immediately the incident is at a stage where operational efficiency is no longer threatened. If this is not possible you will be given a copy of this process advising how to raise your issue with us.
Need any help?
If you require assistance in raising an issue, please let us know when you contact us and we will try to help you – for example if English is not your first language, or you have a disability, or you need help understanding what to do.
What happens when I raise an issue?
We try to address all issues as quickly as possible and will try to give you an answer “on the spot”, or within a few days. Unless we have been able to address the issue immediately and you have stated that you are satisfied, when we have addressed it, we will send you an email or letter confirming how it was addressed together with the name and contact details of the contact officer who dealt with it.
I'm not satisfied. What should I do now?
If you are not happy with our reply, you can take things a stage further and ask your investigating officer to arrange for a review to take place. All issues reaching this stage are treated as complaints. A senior officer will send you a reply to this further investigation within 20 days.
I'm still not satisfied. What should I do now?
If you are not happy with our reply, you can ask the investigating officer to arrange for the complaint to be referred to the Chief Fire Officer, or an Assistant Chief Fire Officer, one of whom will send you a report of this further investigation within 20 days.
I would like to take my complaint further
We hope that we will be able to sort out most issues at stages one or two. You have now reached the last stage of the internal procedure, but if you are still unhappy with our reply you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman.
- Telephone: 0300 061 0614 or 0845 602 1983. Calls to 03 numbers will cost no more than calls to national geographic numbers starting 01 or 02.
- Email: advice@lgo.org.uk
- Fax: 024 7682 0001
- In writing: The Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH.
For advice on making a complaint, or to make a complaint over the telephone, please call the LGO Advice Team on 0300 061 0614 or 0845 602 1983.
Complaints made under the Freedom Of Information Act, Data Protection Act or Environmental Information Regulations
Complaints made under these acts will be dealt with as other complaints received by Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority but, if you are still unhappy with our reply, you can contact the Information Commissioner:
The Information Commissioner will deal with complaints where you have been refused access to information or are unhappy with the way in which their request was dealt with. Complaints about Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority’s publication scheme will considered at the Commissioner’s discretion.
Data protection
We record and hold details of complaints on computer in order to collate statistical information. We have to tell you this under Data Protection law.
Review
This policy is reviewed annually. The next review is due in October 2012.