2024 Annual Report on Internal Complaint Handling
Introduction
The municipality of West Maas en Waal makes every effort to ensure its services run as smoothly as possible. In most cases, these services are provided satisfactorily. Sometimes, however, things go differently, and a citizen files a complaint. After all, it is human work, and mistakes can be made. The challenge is to minimize these errors, learn from these complaints, and adjust services accordingly if necessary.
1 Legal Framework for the Right to File a Complaint
Anyone may file a complaint regarding the manner in which an administrative body, or an employee, has behaved toward them or another person in a particular matter. This is provided for in Section 9 of the General Administrative Law Act (Awb).
Complaints regarding improper treatment may include:
- inappropriate behavior with regard to manners and decorum;
- failure to respond to correspondence (in a timely manner);
- failure to provide the requested information;
- failure to fulfill commitments made.
The right to file a complaint does not apply to:
- reports: reports regarding undesirable situations in public spaces (e.g., broken streetlights, loose sidewalk tiles, or uncollected trash);
- objections and appeals: one disagrees with (the content of) a decision;
- policy: decisions made by the executive board or the council regarding how to carry out public duties.
The administrative body is not required to handle a complaint if:
- the complaint has already been addressed in accordance with the complaint procedure; or
- the complaint concerns an incident that occurred more than one year ago.
A complaint is filed with the administrative body against which the complaint is directed.
Initially, we will attempt to resolve the complaint through informal channels. Often, a meeting with the complaints coordinator or the employee or manager involved is sufficient.
Sometimes, it proves impossible to resolve a complaint informally. In such cases, the complaint undergoes internal handling based on the Regulation on Internal and External Complaint Handling of the municipality of West Maas en Waal. The complainant and the party against whom the complaint is directed are heard by the complaint handler. The complaint handler then drafts a letter of disposition, informing the complainant of the findings and conclusion.
If desired, a complainant who is not satisfied with the resolution may submit the complaint to the Municipal Ombudsman; this is the external complaint resolution process.
2 Internal Complaint Handling
The majority of the complaints coordinator’s work in 2024 involved speaking with complainants (by phone), coordinating and aligning the handling of complaints, mediating (and resolving) in both formal and informal complaint-handling processes, consulting with other complaints coordinators, and communicating and corresponding with the municipal ombudsman. The complaints coordinator is not authorized to resolve complaints, but serves as the point of contact for complaint handlers regarding questions about the resolution of a complaint. Complaints are preferably resolved informally.
All complaints are treated confidentially. As a result, no names may be mentioned in an annual report, nor may any other information be published that could be traced back to the complainants. However, a brief description of the complaints is provided so that readers can understand what conduct the complaints pertain to.
In 2024, 8 complaints were received and accepted for processing. Five complaints were resolved through informal channels, and 3 complaints were resolved through the formal procedure.
Additionally, 2 complaints were received and forwarded for handling to another administrative body because the executive board of West Maas en Waal was not authorized to process these complaints.
Internal Complaint Handling
- The complaint
Complaint regarding failure to respond to a callback request regarding scheduling an appointment.
Resolution
Handled informally. - The complaint
Complaint regarding failure to respond to questions about an application for a disabled parking space.
Resolution
Handled informally. - The complaint
Complaint regarding the time at which work was performed.
Resolution
Resolved informally. - The complaint
Complaint regarding the manner of communication concerning roadwork.
Resolution
Handled informally. - The complaint
Complaint regarding the response to illegal parking.
Resolution
Handled informally. - The complaint
Complaint regarding an employee’s communication style.
Resolution
Formally resolved: complaint unfounded - The complaint
Complaint regarding the method of removal and storage of goods.
Resolution
Formally resolved: complaint unfounded - The complaint
Complaint regarding the delivery/pickup of mail at a mailing address.
Resolution
Formally resolved: complaint unfounded
Complaints received over the past four reporting years
| Fiscal year | Number of complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 8 |
It can be concluded that the number of complaints submitted in recent years has remained around the same level, averaging 4 to 5 complaints per year. In 2024, 8 complaints were received, which is a high number for West Maas en Waal.
It is not possible to draw a general conclusion about the increase in the number of complaints or their nature.
3 External Complaint Handling
2024 Annual Report
Annual Report of the Municipal Ombudsman
If a complainant disagrees with the handling of a complaint, there is the option to submit the complaint to an ombudsman facility. Every municipality is obliged to establish an ombudsman facility (Article 9:18 of the General Administrative Law Act and Article 81p of the Municipalities Act). The municipality of West Maas en Waal has a Municipal Ombudsman, Ms. M.J. van Dasselaar, and a deputy ombudsman, Ms. S. Stokman-Prins. As of January 1, 2025, Ms. S. Stokman-Prins has been honorably discharged, and Ms. L. Hellwig has been appointed as deputy ombudsman, effective January 1, 2025.
Complaints are first handled internally before anyone can file a complaint with the ombudsman. The Municipal Ombudsman is required to submit a report on his or her activities for the year 2024.
In 2024, the internal complaint-handling process resulted in two cases being referred to the Municipal Ombudsman. Of these cases, the Municipal Ombudsman resolved one complaint through a simplified procedure, and one complaint was not accepted for review.
Recommendations from the Municipal Ombudsman
The 2023 Annual Report of the Municipal Ombudsman includes a number of recommendations:
- The municipality must strive to establish strong ties with residents, for example by facilitating citizen participation. It is recommended that staff be actively made aware of their role as public servants and that they be supported and assisted in this regard.
Within the municipality of West Maas en Waal, a citizen participation advisor is employed, and various projects and initiatives are being developed.
- Actively work to keep residents informed on an ongoing basis about the status of requests and/or applications that are experiencing delays.
Citizens are, of course, kept informed of the current status as much as possible. In addition, formal applications are subject to statutory deadlines by which a decision must be made. If the deadline is not met, the applicant will be notified.
- Actively inform the complainant about the stage (informal or formal) of the internal complaint process and advise the resident of the options available to request a formal internal review of the complaint after the informal stage has been completed.
The aforementioned procedure is followed.
- Regularly remind employees and directors of the due diligence requirements, the complaints procedure, and the role of the complaints coordinator.
Relevant information is regularly shared through internal communication channels.
4 Conclusion and Lessons Learned
Most complaints have been resolved through the informal procedure. Experience has shown that this is the most effective way to handle a complaint.
Contact between residents and employees of the municipality of West Maas en Waal is generally good. The complaints submitted in 2024 are largely attributable to the topic of communication. An important point remains that employees pay attention to their attitude and behavior towards residents and that agreements are honored.
An appropriate response to feedback from citizens and clear communication can prevent the need to follow a (formal) complaint procedure. Good communication between citizens and staff often prevents the need for a formal procedure. Providing citizens with complete and timely information is and remains essential.
Finally, the complaints coordinator would like to take this opportunity to thank the complaints handlers, the parties against whom complaints were filed, and the municipal ombudsman for their dedication and solution-oriented approach. As a result, most of the complaints submitted were resolved informally.
Beneden-Leeuwen, April 15, 2025.
The complaints coordinator municipality West Maas en Waal