Customer Service & Complaints
Our Promise – Our Commitment
This is your City and we are committed to being a leading customer focused organisation. We are proud of our community and our people. The City welcomes customer service requests and feedback as a means of improving our service to you.
The City has a Customer Service Charter and policy to support our customers and staff. For more information about this please contact the City on: 6820 3000.
The easiest and fastest way to lodge a service request or feedback is to use our online Report It form. Alternatively, you can download our customer service request form below, or pick up a copy from our office at 102 North Road, Yakamia WA 6330.
Customer Service Request
Customer Service Request
We value your feedback. It helps us review and improve what we do, in order to better meet community needs. We will also regularly seek your feedback at City of Albany community services with surveys, conversation, workshops/focus groups, social media and other ways to hear your views. If we don’t get it right, we will acknowledge our mistake, fix it where possible and take action to stop it happening again.
The City is committed to:
The provision of an accessible, responsive and accountable complaints management framework that promotes organisational learning and continuous improvement.
The following complaints management principles:
- Complaints are resolved in a timely manner
- Complaints can be lodged without fear of retribution
- Complaints will be assessed in a fair, objective and professional manner
- Ensure application of natural justice
- Integrate complaints information into business improvement processes
- The confidentially and privacy of complainants will be protected
The application of the following guiding principles detailed in the:
- Australian Standards (AS ISO 1002-2018) – Guidelines for Complaint Management in organisations;
- Western Australian Ombudsman Complaint Handling Guidelines; and
- City of Albany Codes of Conduct.
What is a complaint & how to lodge a service complaint
What is a complaint?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction made to an organisation, related to its products, services or the handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected.
What is not considered a complaint?
- General enquires
- A request for service, documents, information or explanation of policies or procedures
- A neighbourhood dispute
- A petition
- The lodging of a submission or objection in accordance with a statutory process, standard procedure or policy (which includes: A request for review of compliance or enforcement action).
How to lodge a service complaint?
A service complaint can be lodged with the City by completing a ‘Customer Service Complaint Form’.
What is minor misconduct and how to lodge a misconduct complaint
Minor misconduct in context
Minor misconduct, as defined in the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 (CCM Act) is actually not that minor.
To meet the definition, the misconduct should be so significant that it could reasonably lead to termination of a public officer’s employment if proved.
I think it might be minor misconduct?
You can report any reasonable suspicion of minor misconduct involving a public officer to the Public Sector Commission (PSC).
To assist you, the PSC has prepared fact sheets you might find useful, specifically:
Fact sheet 1
What is minor misconduct? This fact sheet has been prepared to assist people to understand, in practical terms, what behaviours and circumstances might constitute minor misconduct.
If you suspect the behaviour you have seen or experienced is minor misconduct you can report it to the PSC or the City's Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Officer.
Consider confidentiality
You can choose to tell us who you are, or remain anonymous when you report. The things you might like to consider include:
If you identify yourself
- We will be able to ask you for more information if we need it
- We can tell you what action we intend to take based on your report
- We will know your identity and it will be recorded in our database
If the matter is referred to the public authority to investigate, we might have to provide your contact details to them to enable the matter to be investigated.
Remain anonymous
- Our ability to assess your complaint may be limited
- We will not be able to ask you for more information if we need it
- We will not be able to tell you anything further about the report once it is made.
Other options
If your confidentiality is important, you might also like to consider lodging a public interest disclosure with the public authority concerned.
Behaviour breaches of the City's Codes of Conduct
Complaint about alleged behaviour breach
The City of Albany's adopted Code of Conduct can be found here.
To make a valid behaviour complaint:
- The allegation must relate to a breach of the behaviour standards in Division 3 of City of Albany’s Code of
Conduct for Council Members, Committee Members and Candidates.
- Complete all sections of the Behaviour Complaint Form including any additional information that will support an
assessment of the complaint. The Behaviour Complaint will be assessed based on the information provided only.
- The completed Behaviour Complaint Form MUST be lodged with the City of Albany Behaviour Complaints
Officer within one (1) month of the alleged behaviour breach.
The City's Behaviour Complaints Officer is the City's Chief Executive Officer, however the process is administered by the Manager Governance & Risk, who is also the designated Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Officer for the City of Albany.
Resources
Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing)
Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing)
The Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 (CMM Act) defines a public authority and public officer. The City of Albany is a public authority and generally speaking, a public officer may be anyone using public resources to carry out a public function under a written law. Public Officers, include:
- Elected Members (Mayor & Councillors)
- Chairpersons and committee members
- Employees
- Contractors
The Manager Governance & Risk is the designated Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Officer for the City of Albany.
Resources
Reportable Conduct Scheme
Reportable Conduct Scheme
Reportable conduct refers to specific behaviours related to child protection. Organisations working with children are obligated to report allegations of child abuse or misconduct to the relevant authorities.
Entities, covered by the Reportable Conduct Scheme include government agencies, health services, schools, childcare providers, and local governments. If criminal conduct is suspected, organisations must also report it to the police.
Persons wishing to report an allegation of reportable conduct are to report any information that leads you to believe on reasonable grounds that an employee* of the City, which is covered by the scheme, has engaged in reportable conduct. Please call the City’s Public Interest Disclosure Officer, on (08) 6820 3075 or email [email protected]
Note: The term ‘employee’ also refers to volunteers and contractors who provide services to children.
Information sheets and guidance about the Reportable Conduct Scheme, are found at:
Make a Notification:
https://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Reportable_Conduct/RCS-Notification-Form.htm
For assistance with completing the Notification Form, please see: Guide for completing the Reportable Conduct Notification Form