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The types of complaints
review arrangements in place vary considerably in scale, workload and cost. If you are a
smaller public service, you may be able to share a reviewer, or appoint someone part time.
Or you may want to make arrangements that allow you to call on a reviewer only when you
need one. Whatever you decide, you should advertise your arrangements so that users are
aware of your full complaints procedure.
Example 1 The Adjudicator for the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and the
Contributions Agency - Dame Barbara Mills QC.
Contact:
Mike Savage
Head of Office,
The Adjudicator's Office
Haymarket House
28 Haymarket
London
SW1Y 4SP
Phone: 020 7 930 2292.
Fax: 020 7 930 2298.
E-mail: adjudicators@gtnet.gov.uk
Web site: www.open.gov.uk/adjoff/aodemo1.htm
Set up: 1993
Aims:
To investigate complaints from people and businesses about how the Inland Revenue,
Customs and Excise and the Contributions Agency have handled their affairs.
Staff employed: About 45
Number of complaints each year: About 3,300
Yearly budget: About £1.5 million.
The Adjudicator's independence is protected by contracts with each of the three
organisations she covers.
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Example 2 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Independent Mediator -
Elizabeth Hodder.
Contact:
Barbara Williams
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
(DVLA)
Corporate Services
Longview Road
Swansea
SA6 7JL
Phone: 01792 782070.
Fax: 01792 782472.
Set up: 1994
Aims:
To work for the Chief Executive and executive directors of the DVLA investigating cases
referred by the Chief Executive.
Staff employed: 1 - the mediator, who is called on when needed.
Number of complaints each year: 8 cases since 1994
Yearly budget: Under £3,000.
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Example 3 The Independent Complaints Advisor for the Driving Standards Agency -
Elizabeth Hodder.
Contact:
Mr Bob Jarvis
Customer Service Manager
Driving Standards Agency
Stanley House
56 Talbot Street
Nottingham
NG1 5GU
Phone: 0115 901 2511.
Fax: 0115 901 2510.
Direct contact: Mrs Elizabeth Hodder
Independent Complaints Advisor
Driving Standards Agency
PO Box 347
CB2 2XN
Set up: 1996
Aims:
To work for the Chief Executive of the Driving Standards Agency investigating cases
referred by the Chief Executive.
Staff employed: 1 - the advisor, who is called on when needed.
Number of complaints each year: 7
Yearly budget: Under £3,000.
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Example 4 Highways Agency Independent Mediator - Elizabeth Hodder.
Contact:
Mike Franklyn
Room 13/ 18
Highways Agency
St Christopher House
Southwark Street
London
SE1 0TE
Phone: 020 7 921 4031.
Fax: 020 7 921 4899.
Set up: 1997
Aims:
To work for the Chief Executive and executive directors of the Highways Agency
investigating cases referred by the Chief Executive.
Staff employed: 1 - the mediator, who is called on when needed.
Number of complaints each year: 1
Yearly budget: Under £1,000.
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Example 5 Vehicle Inspectorate Independent Mediator - Elizabeth Hodder.
Contact:
Karen Donaldson
Agency Secretariat
Vehicle Inspectorate
Berkeley House
Croydon Street
Bristol
BS5 0DA
Phone: 0117 954 3274.
Fax: 0117 954 3303.
Set up: Late 1995
Aims: To investigate cases referred by the Vehicle Inspectorate's Chief Executive.
Staff employed: 1 - the mediator, who is called on when needed.
Number of complaints each year: 1 since 1995
Yearly budget: No specific budget. Paid on a case-by-case basis.
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Example 6 Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency - Ms Anne
Parker.
Contact:
Independent Case Examiner
for the Child Support Agency
PO Box 155
Chester
Phone: 0151 801 8809.
Fax: 0151 801 8801.
Set up: 1997
Aims: To provide an independent service for complaints about maladministration by
the Child Support Agency.
Staff employed: About 40
Number of complaints each year: 852 in the first 10 months
Yearly budget: About £1 million.
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Example 7 Prisons Ombudsman - Sir Peter Woodhead.
Contact:
Prisons Ombudsman's Office
Ashley House
2 Monck Street
London
SW1P 2BQ
Phone: 020 7 276 2876.
Fax: 020 7 276 2860.
Set up: 1994
Aims: To investigate complaints from prisoners about decisions relating to them
which have been made by prison staff and other people working in prisons.
Staff employed: 18
Number of complaints each year: About 2,000
Yearly budget: £700,000.
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Example 8 Complaints Audit Committee of the Immigration and Nationality
Directorate (IND).
Contact:
Secretary to the Complaints Audit
Committee
IND Complaints Unit
Room 809
Apollo House
36 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 3RR
Phone: 020 7 760 8052.
Fax: 020 7 760 8250 or 8226.
Set up: 1 January 1994
Aims: To monitor IND's complaints system.
In particular:
 | to make sure the procedures for
investigating complaints are
effective;
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| to draw IND management's attention
to any weaknesses; and
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| to make a yearly report to the Home
Secretary.
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The committee has access to all papers on complaints but is not involved in
investigating individual complaints or decisions in individual cases.
Staff employed: 3 part time
Number of complaints each year: 500 formal complaints
Yearly budget: £30,000.
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Example 9 War Pensions Committees: sub-committee complaints.
Contact:
The Clerk to the War Pensions
Committees
War Pensions Welfare Office
Barry House
67-69 London Road
Preston
PR1 4DE
Phone: 01772 884429.
Fax: 01772 884336.
Set up: 1948
Aims:
To make recommendations to the War Pensions Agency on individual complaints and on
general policy questions.
To consider complaints made to the War Pensions Committee by people claiming pensions
or allowances.
Staff employed: There are 29 committees around the UK. Sub-committees consist of
the chairman or vice chairman and two members.
Number of complaints each year:
1993 - 228
1994 - 303
1995 - 305
Yearly budget: £80,000 to run the 29 committees
(committee members are not paid).
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Example 10 Independent Complaints Reviewer to HM Land Registry - Mrs Jodi Berg.
Contact:
Mrs Jodi Berg
Newspaper House (First Floor)
8-16 Great New Street
New Street Square
London
EC4A 3EU
Phone: 020 7 583 1172.
Fax: 020 7 583 1173.
E-mail: icr2hmlr@icrev.demon.co.uk
Web site: www.icrev.demon.co.uk/icrbook.htm
Set up: 1998
Aims:
The Independent Complaints Reviewer is available to people who have reached the end of
the Land Registry's internal complaints procedure and are still not satisfied. Her role is
to decide whether there has been maladministration, including failure to meet standards of
service, quality, speed and performance as published in the Land Registry's Statement of
Charter Standards.
Staff employed: 1 part time - the Independent Complaints Reviewer.
1 full time - assistant to the Independent Complaints Reviewer.
Number of complaints each year: 0
Yearly budget: 0
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Example 11 Office for Standards in Education Complaints Adjudicator - to be
appointed.
Contact:
Andrew Fermie
Compliance Officer
Office for Standards in Education
6th Floor
Alexandra House
29-33 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6SE
Phone: 020 7 421 6698.
Fax: 020 7 421 6701.
Set up: Summer 1998
Aims:
To make sure that complaints arising from inspections are dealt with fairly, thoroughly
and quickly. The Adjudicator will make an annual report to OFSTED which will focus on
strengths and weaknesses in complaints handling. (This report will be available to the
public.) The Adjudicator will also make recommendations on how procedures can be improved.
Staff employed: 0
Number of complaints each year: 0
Yearly budget: 0
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Example 12 Cambridge City Council Internal Ombudsman - Ms Vanessa Connolly.
Contact:
Vanessa Connolly
Cambridge City Council
The Guildhall
Cambridge
CB2 3QJ
Phone: 01223 457072.
Fax: 01223 457009.
E-mail: VanessaC@Cambridge.gov.uk
Set up: 1992
Aims:
To provide an independent service for investigating complaints about the council's
services if the person who has complained is not happy with the reply from the relevant
council department.
Staff employed: 1 part time - the ombudsman.
Number of complaints each year: About 60
Yearly budget: £10,610.
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Example 13 Harlow College Ombudsman - Terry James.
Contact:
Terry James
College Ombudsman
Harlow College
College Square
The High
Harlow
Essex
CM20 1LT
Phone: 01279 868000.
Fax: 01279 868260.
Set up: 1994
Aims:
To investigate and report to the college principal on all complaints received from
students, parents and sponsors.
To produce reports and analyses of complaints at least twice a year.
To give advice to the college principal on the complaints policy and procedures.
To give advice to the college principal on changes to the College Charter.
Staff employed: 1 part time - the college ombudsman.
Number of complaints each year: About 140 formal complaints
Yearly budget: £12,000.
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Example 14 Kent Probation Service Complaints Scheme Independent Adviser - Mr
Brian Munday.
Contact:
Mr Brian Munday
Director of Social Work Studies
University of Kent
Faculty of Social Sciences
Keynes College
Canterbury
CT2 7NP
Phone: 01227 764000.
Fax: 01227 475472.
Set up: 1993
Aims:
To monitor the effectiveness of the complaints procedure and make sure it meets
published standards.
To report to the Kent Probation Committee each year.
To deal with complaints which have not been sorted out and to give advice to the
committee.
Staff employed: 1 part time-the adviser.
Number of complaints each year: 65 in 1994 to 1995 and 2 individual cases referred
for advice
Yearly budget: Hardly any - only administration costs and adviser's fees and
expenses.
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Example 15 Swale Borough Council Arbitrator - Mr Dick Mallaby.
Contact:
Ms Sue Parry
Personal Assistant to Chief Executive
Swale Borough Council
Swale House East Street
Sittingbourne
Kent
ME10 3HT
Phone: 01795 417394.
Fax: 01795 417217.
Set up: 1992
Aims:
The Arbitrator judges whether Swale Council has delivered good service. He provides
independent advice for matters that would otherwise have involved the Local Government
Ombudsman. The person who has complained can still contact the Local Government Ombudsman
if they are not satisfied with the Arbitrator's decision.
Staff employed: 1 part time - the arbitrator.
Number of complaints each year: About 6
Yearly budget: Hardly any - just arbitrator's attendance allowance and expenses.
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