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I WISH TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT PART 2
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COMPLAINTS TO SALFORD COUNCIL LOST FOR MONTHS…
SALFORD COUNCIL APOLOGISES TO SALFORD STAR…
Read the full story… |
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A `technical problem' on Salford Council's website has led to online complaints being lost for months. The `problem' only came to light after our one way correspondence to the Council's complaints dept dating back to November 2008 was published on the Salford Star website recently ( www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=53 ).
City Solicitor, Anthony Rich, in a letter of apology to the Salford Star dated 27th February 2009, blamed a `mail routing error' which meant that our "original and subsequent submissions were never received" and that "the problem which affected your submissions was not unique to you".
He added that only "a relatively small number of forms or e-mails did not reach their intended recipients" - which must make the Salford Star incredibly unlucky because over the three month period we submitted four separate online complaints which, according to the Council, were never received.
The `problem', apparently, has now been fixed, all the forms and e-mails have been retrieved and Anthony Rich writes that the Council has "contacted everyone whose e-mails we found had gone astray and are dealing with any outstanding points that were raised". He says that we should "rest assured" that a "formal response will be forthcoming".
Salford Council response so far: Nil
Post script:
Salford Council's website has just won an accolade from IT `experts' Socitm Insight, a public sector IT professionals organisation. The council's website was rated in the top ten for excellence by the 'Better Connected 2009' survey which explored how council websites responded to the needs of a range of typical local authority customers.
Councillor Bill Hinds, lead member for customer and support services, said: "These findings maintain our website's reputation as a UK leader. Our dedicated team ensures it exceeds people's expectations and demonstrates our commitment to user friendly services."
Hmmm...
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arthur wilkinson wrote
at 9:17:38 AM on Monday, October 26, 2009 |
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| we are currently having a new kitchen and bathroom
fitted along with a rewire none of which i have
asked for (its all to do with all this new money)
I spoke with a mr massey at city west who informed
me that all the redecorating needed would be at my
expense and i should be grateful they have given us
a new kitchen and bathroom although we are still
in what can be called a bombsite is an body else
having these problems |
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Will Youds wrote
at 7:24:01 PM on Thursday, March 26, 2009 |
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| Making a complaint to Salford Council is often a futile event and a palaver.
I have had three major complaints with them.
1. Jackson Lloyd, on behalf of Salford Council was emptying a flat on my block after the occupant died. They decided it would be quicker to throw the rubbish over the 1st floor balcony onto the open top loader rather than safely walk down the couple of flights of stairs with the cooker, the sofa and the double bed.
Unfortunately, my car was parked next to the van and some of the household furniture missed the target and went through my car window causing just under a hundred pounds worth of damage.
Did the council employees try and find the owner of the vehicle and apologise?...no, did they contact their boss and advise what had happened?...no.
Instead, they scampered thinking that they had got away with it and nobody had witnessed it.
When I contacted Salford Council to complain, they were simply not interested. Instead they told me I had to deal with Jackson Lloyd directly and gave me their telephone. And surprise surprise when I did contact them...they denied it.
Fortunately for me, a vigilant neighbour had witnessed it. It wasn't until I threatened Jackson Lloyd with legal action did they send two surly blokes to my door with a envelope containing the money. Barely unable to utter an apology. It seemed to me that the only thing they were really sorry about was getting caught.
Complaint number two.
The residents in my neighbourhood share two industrial sized recycling bins solely for the use of thirty flats.
Recently they have not been collected and stickers have been placed advising that they need de contaminating.
I sifted through the bins as best I could and re contacted them for collection. I suggested on the complaint form that they could advise the residents (many who are elderly) what can be placed in the bins by way of letters or leaflets to prevent contamination again.
A few weeks later, after being told by the environmental health that my suggestion was being considered, the bins were removed completely.
A letter from someone stating their role within the council as the Greener and Cleaner environmental officer was posted saying that as the bins were continually contaminated and have to be emptied at cost, they were going to remove the bins completely leaving us without any recycling.
Despite the fact I was trying to reason and work with them, the wishes of the rent paying tennants ignored as usual.
I have complained...but nothing has happened.
I still fail to see how the complete removal of these bins makes it greener? The fact that most people will now add more rubbish that could be recycled into the domestic bins which overflow currently as they are not adequate enough to deal with the rubbish deposited already will certainly fail to make it any cleaner.
So much for a greener and cleaner Salford eh?
Maybe if they truly want to save money, they could start by sacking this ineffective officer with a contradictory job title.
Third complaint.
Having joined Fit City after a course of physio for a back problem, I took advantage of the Aspire membership for 19 pounds a month.
I was given a direct debit mandate to fill in and off I went. After about 5 months my back problems were playing up so I cancelled my direct debit and stopped using the gym.
A few weeks later I got a suprise letter advising me that I was liable for two months membership fees as stated in the contract. What contract?
I contacted Salford Leisure and spoke with the most obnoxious man. Apparently the direct debit was not just a direct debit, but a legally binding contract that stated I have to be a member for at least 12 months and if I wanted to cancel my contract I would have to provide two months notice.
I was completely taken back. I would have never entered into a strict contract so willingly.
I explained that nobody told me at enrolment, but this officious pen pusher insisted that I would have been told about this contract upon joining and openly refuted my claims.
I insisted no such thing was relayed to me, but he refuted me completely.
Again I complained.
It was unbelievable. They just weren't interested. II did eventually gt out of the contract, but not before having to show this organisation sensitive and confidental documentation about my health which I was unwilling to provide. Why did I have to prove it? They told me failure to provide this documentation would result in court action against me. The council knew at the begining that I had a disability and I had previously shown them incapacity benefit documents to qualify for the discount membership.
They seemed hell bent on making it as uncomfortable and stressful for me as possible. They refused to answer any of my questions in writing, stating that would prefer a face to face interview and refused to tell me what they wanted my personal medical documents for.
I can't believe that a council run gym has such a devious way of luring you into a contract. I did ask for a copy of the contract, and got a sized down unreadable photocopy of my direct debit mandate with the tiniest of small print it was a joke. They seemed to delight in making my complaint as difficult as possible.
It never even entered my head that Council supported gyms would be run like a private gym. I previously have lived in Cheshire where they don't run council gyms in such a way.
I wrote to the council three times with my complaint, but they just repeatedly refuted it. They simply appeared not interested. In the end I just gave up. I was sick of repeating myself.
...and the amazing thing is, all these three events have happened within one year!
Salford Council are nothing but a bunch of chancers. They repeatedly screw up and and it's us on the receiving end of their cock ups.
It wouldn't be so bad if they held up their hands once and a while and admitted mistakes...at least that would give them a chance to change. But no, they continue to plod on with little or no respect for the constituents.
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Diane wrote
at 6:55:00 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2009 |
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| I used to work for Salford Council, I even helped deal with formal complaints for one department and have never heard of complaints being lost due to "technical problems". It sounds to me like they hoped the complaint would go away! They are all so worried about covering their backs instead of owning up to mistakes and trying to rectify them. |
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Sheila Roy wrote
at 5:10:39 PM on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 |
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| Salford Councils website USED to be good, until they messed around with it (or should I say, paid someone else to mess around with it with OUR cash) I used to check out the local planning applications, which were all alphbetically listed according to district, easy peasy. Not so anymore! The new 'planning portal' is rubbish and only lets you view 10 items per page, then when you try to view subsequent pages, it gives an error report! I have complained, copied/pasted the actual error message but heard nothing from them. Also, if you wish to view the documentation associated with a particular application, it is extremely touch and go, which is not helpful at all. There are many 'blank' word documents that are supposed to contain the minutes of various council meetings too. The councils website is very good at 'bigging itself up', much like the councillors, so I suppose that the website reflects this.... all fur coat and no knickers. I'm going to leave it at that for now because more annoying things about Salford Council keep forming in my mind and are trying desperately to influence my fingers on the keyboard :o)
Stay Cool, and never lose the attitude.....or the love. |
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mike skeffington wrote
at 8:29:17 PM on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 |
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| If Salford Council's website is in the top ten, I'd hate to see the worst. Thing is it does'nt seem to make much difference whether the Council get complains by email or not, as far as the Salford Star is concerned they will still do all in their power to make life almost impossible for one of the most popular local people's magazines in the country. Equally the Salford Star will do all in it's power to survive with the help of Salford people. |
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