West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Complaints

Making a complaint

We are committed to providing the best quality services we are able to and we aim to constantly improve those services. In all big organisations like ours, things sometimes go wrong. With your help, we aim to identify problems, to solve them quickly and efficiently and to prevent them happening again

Who can make a complaint?

Anyone who receives, requests or is affected by services or activities delivered by West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust can make a complaint.

What is a complaint?

WDLT’s definition of a complaint is:

'An expression of dissatisfaction by one or more members of the public about the WDLT’s action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of WDLT

A complaint may relate to:

• Dissatisfaction on a programming, cleanliness or maintenance issue
• Dissatisfaction with WDLT policy
• Treatment by or attitude of a member of staff
• We have done something wrong.
• We have failed to do something that you expected.
• We have not treated you with courtesy.

Some problems or enquiries are not complaints. Therefore you don't need to use the complaints procedure if:

• a routine first-time request for information on opening hours, prices, class times, access to swimming lessons or other sporting programmes
• You want to find out about booking a hall or football pitch or cancelling your membership
• Services normally provided by West Dunbartonshire Council

• If someone has done a great job or helped you out or you simply wish to thank us for something, please also let us know

How can a complaint be made?

In Person – Step 1  

Contact the Service area direct in person, a member of staff will try to sort things out for you at the time of the issue. It is easier to resolve complaints if made quickly and directly to the service area concerned. Staff will try to resolve the matter for you on the spot or if they can't and further action is required they will let you know and will escalate your complaint to an appropriate Manager.  

Via our Online Form - Step 1 or Step 2 where a verbal complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction 

If we are unable to resolve the matter for you or you do not feel comfortable going directly to the service area, please complete the WDLT Complaints Form.  Where you have made a written complaint you will receive a written reply.

The Complaints Handling Procedure

WDLT’s complaints handling procedure aims to provide a quick, simple and streamlined process for resolving complaints early and locally.

Our complaints process provides two opportunities to resolve complaints internally:

• Frontline Resolution, and
• Investigation

Timescales

Stage 1 allows five working days or less to reply to your complaint, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Stage 2 deals with three types of complaint: 1) those that have not have been resolved at Stage 1, 2) those where customers put their complaint in writing at stage 1 3) those that are more complex and require a detailed investigation.

We will

• treat your complaint fairly and ensure we thoroughly investigate it.
• Always issue a written response to complaints that have been received in writing
• acknowledge receipt of your complaint within five working days if a full response cannot be given within that timescale
• discuss the complaint with you if deemed necessary to understand why you remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are looking for
• provide you with a full written response to your complaint as soon as possible and within 20 working days.

If you remain unsatisfied we will discuss the complaint with you if deemed necessary to understand why you remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are looking for.

Independent External Review

If you are still unhappy once you have a final reply from us you can then contact Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

You must make any such complaint within twelve months of the problem arising. The Ombudsman also expects you to have made a formal complaint to the Leisure Trust and have received our final response.

Single-line address, no stamp required:
Freepost SPSO

telephone: 0800 377 7330
Fax: 0800 377 7331
Text: 0790 049 4372
Web: www.spso.org.uk

The Ombudsman is happy to receive enquiries by phone, post, email or even in person, and their complaints form can also be downloaded and submitted online via their website.