Customer Service Charter

Our Charter is to inform, listen, adapt and respond to our customers. 

 

Why a customer service charter?

Being ‘customer focused’ is one of our core values. We want to provide customer service that builds on our relationships and partnerships with our community.

 

Who are our customers?

Our customers are anyone who uses our services. These include ratepayers, business owners, residents and contractors.

 

What do we ask of our customers?

We ask that you:

• provide us with complete and updated information
• keep an open mind and be willing to work with us to resolve any problems
• treat our staff with courtesy and respect.

 

What will we do?

We will:

• listen carefully and seek to identify your needs
• provide you with a courteous and professional service
• keep you informed regarding your enquiry
• communicate with you in plain language
• deal with complaints fairly and professionally
• seek to refer you to an appropriate Council Officer.

 

Our commitment to you

We will:

• make our communications clear, easy and consistent
• create specific measures to understand levels of satisfaction with our services and where we need to continue to improve. We will reduce the amount of information that we need to ask you when we have a follow-up.
• design our processes and systems to be flexible and we will train staff in new technologies,
• develop a clear approach to contacting our customers that is consistent across all services and contact channels.

 

SERVICE	STANDARD
Answer your telephone call	Within 20 seconds
Access to information – GIPA	Within 20 days
Issue a Section 603 – outstanding rates	Within 5 days
Issue a 10.7 zoning certificate	Within 5 days
Assess your DA	Within 90 days
Issue a CC	Within 5 days
Issue a CDC or OC	Within 10 days
Missed/replacement bin service	Within 2 days
Graffiti removal	Within 10 days
Repair potholes	Within 5 days
Repair footpaths	Within 5 days
Repair kerb & gutters	Within 5 days
Tree DA	Within 55 days
Fallen tree/branches	Within 2 days
Illegal dumping	Within 3 days

 

What is a complaint?

Complaints are different from ‘service requests’. A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with our:

• policy and procedures
• employees, Councillors or agents
• fees and charges
• goods or services.

 

Making a complaint?

Step 1: Front line staff

Our staff seek to resolve complaints wherever possible at first contact.

If you are still dissatisfied or the complaint cannot be resolved by front-line staff, the matter will be referred to a senior staff member who will acknowledge the complaint within 2 working days.

Step 2: Internal review or investigation

The matter will be reviewed and you will be advised of the expected timeframe for an outcome. For more complex matters, a further investigation may be required.

Step 3: Independent review

Once we have written back to you, and if there is no new information on the matter, and you are still dissatisfied, you can seek an independent review from:

• NSW Ombudsman
• Office of Local Government
• Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

 

Contact details

In person: Hunters Hill Town Hall, 22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill

Hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm

Phone: (02) 9879 9400

Email: council@huntershill.nsw.gov.au

Website: www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au

Letter:

Hunter’s Hill Council

PO Box 21

HUNTERS HILL NSW 2110

Please report any issues or make a request directly to Council via the website, email, or phone details above. Please note Council has not endorsed the use of any third party providers to receive reports on its behalf.

 

Councillors

Contact details for the Mayor and Councillors are available on our website: www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au. 

 

External organisations

NSW Ombudsman

www.ombudsman.nsw.gov.au

Telephone: 02 9286 1000

Office of Local Government

www.olg.nsw.gov.au

Telephone: 02 4428 4100

ICAC

www.icac.nsw.gov.au

Telephone: 02 8281 5999