The City of Belmont strives to provide quality services and uses customer feedback to continually improve its products and services. Feedback can be given in the form of a compliment, suggestion or complaint about the quality of service provided by a staff member or contractor.

Service complaint

The City of Belmont recognises the right of customers to complain when feeling dissatisfied with the service provided and undertakes to resolve these complaints in an accountable, transparent and timely manner.
 
We encourage customers to talk to us if we haven’t done what we said we would, or if we fail in our service delivery.

Complaints made to the City of Belmont by customers, residents and ratepayers must be handled within the following guidelines:

• All complaints must be dealt with in accordance with the Customer Complaint Management Procedure as adopted and amended from time to time by the City;
• All complaints received by the City must be recorded and documented and shall be acknowledged as soon as possible and in any event within five normal working days;
• All service complaints and complaints concerning an employee or contractor of the City will be investigated and complainants notified of the results of the investigation, within the prescribed timeframes of the Customer Complaint Management Procedure;
• Where a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, an appeal against the result can be lodged with:

           a.  Chief Executive Officer or Mayor (as the case may be), or the matter can be referred to,
           b.  Ombudsman Western Australia’s Office for investigation:
                Postal Address: PO Box Z5386, St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6831
                Telephone: 08 9220 7555
                Toll-free: 1800 117 000
                Facsimile: 08 9200 7500
                Email: mail@ombudsman.wa.gov.au
 

• Complaints which when assessed relate to corrupt or improper conduct must be referred as defined in the Customer Complaint Management Procedure for investigation as per any applicable legislation.

Making a service complaint

Please provide us with your opinion so we can improve the delivery and standard of our services. Should you require any assistance with making your concerns known, please ask any of our officers. You can make a complaint by:
 
Visiting us at: Civic Centre, 215 Wright Street, Cloverdale, WA 6105
(Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:45pm)
In writing: Locked Bag 379, Cloverdale, WA 6985
Telephone: 08 9477 7222
Email: belmont@belmont.wa.gov.au
Facsimile: 08 9478 1473
 
Complete the Customer Feedback Online Form or a Customer Feedback brochure available at the City’s Civic Centre or the Ruth Faulkner Library.
 

Making a complaint about a Council Member, Committee Member or Candidate

An alleged breach of Division 3 of the Code of Conduct for Council Members, Committee Members and Candidates must be made on the approved Complaint - Alleged Breach Form within 1 month after the occurrence of the alleged breach.

Any person who has lodged a complaint, or any person against whom a complaint has been made, must keep the complaint confidential until the complaint has been determined or a finding made.

Other complaints of minor breaches are to be made in accordance with legislation. The form and information is available via the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries - Minor Breach System.

Some breaches are considered Serious Breaches. Complaints for serious breaches are to be made in accordance with legislation as outlined by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries - Serious Breach Complaints webpage.

All complaints that result in a finding under section 5.110(6)(b) that a minor breach has occurred are published in the City's Complaint Register.

Public Interest Disclosure Act and reporting misconduct

The City of Belmont does not tolerate corrupt or other improper conduct, including the mismanagement of public resources, and encourages the reporting of any such instances.  All City of Belmont employees and Elected Members are public officers.
 
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 (PID Act) encourages people to come forward with information about wrongdoing without fear of reprisal. It is often referred to as "Whistleblower" legislation.
 
The PID Act provides a system for the matters disclosed to be investigated and for appropriate action to be taken.
 
A public interest disclosure is made when a person discloses to a proper authority information which tends to show wrongdoing by a public authority, public officer or public sector contractor performing a public function. In local government that is the Public Interest Disclosure Officer (PID Officer).
 
A public interest disclosure is more than a general complaint or dissatisfaction with a product, service or decision of government. It must relate to wrongdoing, not be trivial and be made in the proper manner to a proper authority to the relevant person (PID Officer).
 
The PID Officer has obligations once an allegation has been made and you too have obligations under the Act. Once an allegation is made it cannot be withdrawn and must be managed in accordance with the PID Act. Making a false or misleading disclosure is an offence under the PID Act. 
 
The PID Officer for the public body should be contacted for advice prior to making a disclosure. Your concern may be able to be addressed through another means rather than the Public Interest Disclosure process.
 
At the City of Belmont the following officers have been appointed as PID Officers:
 

Manager Governance (Primary PID Officer)	Human Resources Manager
Tel: 08 9477 7222	Tel: 08 9477 7222

Information for the public is available in the Rights and Obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003.
 
Further information can be accessed from the Public Sector Commission website.

Reporting misconduct

Misconduct can be reported to the City of Belmont, the Public Sector Commission for minor misconduct or the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) for serious misconduct.  The City of Belmont is obliged to report all matters of misconduct to the relevant agency.
 
The Public Sector Commission is responsible for the investigation of minor misconduct of employees of local government.  The CCC is responsible for the investigation of serious matters such as a breach of the Local Government Act and any misconduct involving an elected member. The publication Notification of Misconduct in Western Australia provides information on the types of misconduct and who is responsible for the investigation.
 
The Public Sector Commission and the CCC are able to provide further information and advice on reporting misconduct.

Public Sector Commission

Minor misconduct is varied in nature and dependent on the severity may be dealt with in a number of ways.  Minor misconduct is defined in the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 and means that the misconduct is significant enough that it could reasonably lead to the termination of a public officer’s employment if proved. 
 
However, any matters that do not meet this threshold will still be addressed.  Misconduct matters that are not classified as misconduct in terms of the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 will be managed by the City under the City’s Code of Conduct and through disciplinary procedures.  If referred to the City for addressing the PSC will monitor to ensure that the matter is addressed sufficiently.
 
Further information on minor misconduct including how to make a report is available from the Public Sector Commission. There are a number of useful fact sheets and publications. Alternatively contact the PSC Advisory Line on 6552 8888.
 
Serious misconduct as defined by the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 is when a public officer:

•    acts corruptly or corruptly fails to act in the course of their duties OR
•    takes advantage of their position for the benefit or detriment of any person OR
•    commits an offence which carries a penalty of two or more year’s imprisonment.

Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC)

Anyone can report serious misconduct by Western Australian public officers to the CCC. Fact Sheet No 3: Reporting Serious Misconduct provides information about how to make a report and the subsequent processes involved.  If a report is made to the CCC and it is referred to the PSC or the City, the CCC will monitor to ensure that the matter is addressed appropriately.
 
Further information:  www.ccc.wa.gov.au  Toll Free: 1800 809 000