We aim to deliver a first rate quality of service to our customers.

In order to achieve this we will:

• Give you comprehensive, accurate and timely information that is clear and easy to understand.
• Be punctual, polite and helpful and respond effectively and sensitively to your needs.
• Keep you informed of the progress of your enquiry.
• Help you find the services that can help you.
• Have published policies and standards and be accountable and open about how well we perform against these policies and standards.
• Listen to your comments, respond to your complaints and learn from them.
• Answer your telephone call in a polite manner within 6 rings (20 seconds).
• Return your call (or answerphone message) on the same day or the following morning if your message was received after 4pm.
• Respond to your letter using plain language within 10 working days.
• Respond to your email using plain language within 5 working days.
• Provide opportunities for you to become involved in the planning, delivery and monitoring of our services.
• Be responsive to the special needs of any of our customers.
• Welcome you to the reception area with friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff.
• Keep the reception area clean, tidy and manned from 09.00 until 17.00 (16.30 on Fridays).
• Ensure relevant and current information, leaflets and application forms are available to callers.
• Arrange appointments with officers for you on request.
• Aim to minimise the number of customer queries that Customer Enquiries staff have to pass on to other staff.

You can help us by:

• Being punctual for any pre-arranged appointments.
• Informing us in advance if you are unable to keep a pre-arranged appointment.
• Being patient if you are waiting to see an officer for an appointment which was not pre-arranged.

How will we be judged on these standards?

We will regularly check our performance against these standards and we will ask you for your views. The results will be published on the Service web page.

Complaints…

A complaint is "An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by or on behalf of the Council or its staff affecting an individual customer or group of customers."
We take all complaints very seriously and will always accept them as an aid towards bringing our service up to satisfactory standards. In all instances complaints should be addressed to the contact identified below in "contacting us".

Compliments…

Just as poor performance needs criticising, being informed of good performance by our officers is also very important to us. Please let us know if a service we provide or a particular member of staff impresses you as we can use their example to train other staff members.

Contacting us:

You can contact the planning office in the following ways:

By Post:

Mr Martin Forth,
Customer Services Manager (Front Office),
Tendring District Council,
Clacton-on-Sea

By Phone: 01255 686123

By E-mail planning.services@tendringdc.gov.uk