Habitual complainants are to be silenced by a policy supported by town councillors.
Members agreed to back a ‘vexatious complaints policy’ to deal with abusive and persistent complaints and complainants which can be a problem for town council staff and members. They are time consuming and waste officer and members’ time, they said.
“While the council endeavours to respond with patience and sympathy to the needs of all complainants there are times when there is nothing further which can reasonably be done to assist or to rectify a real or perceived problem,” said a report from council clerk Vivien Little.
Under the policy, where complaints continue and have become habitual or vexatious, the clerk along with the mayor and deputy mayor will be consulted to consider the appropriate course of action to be taken.
The clerk will notify the complainant in writing of the reasons why their complaint has been treated as habitual or vexatious and of the actions that will be taken. District, county and town councillors will then be informed that a constituent has been designated as an habitual or vexatious complainant.
Restrictions under the policy include banning the complainant from making contact by telephone except through a third party such as a solicitor; requiring contact to take place with one named member of staff only; restricting telephone calls to specified days, times or duration; requiring any personal contact to take place in the presence of an appropriate witness and letting the complainant know that the council will not reply or acknowledge any further contact from them on the specific topic of the complaint.
Full council will be provided with a regular report giving information about members of the public who have been treated as vexatious/persistent as per the policy.
