The Local Government Act 2020 requires Council to develop and maintain a complaints policy by 1 January 2022.

The Policy must set out:

• the process for dealing with complaints made to Council
• the process for reviewing the actions, decisions or service in respect of which the complaints is made
• discretion for Council to refuse to deal with a complaint which is otherwise subject to statutory review
• the prescribed processes for dealing with complaints about Council
• the prescribed processes for internal review of complaints made to a Council
• the prescribed processes for exercising the discretion to refuse to deal with a complaint otherwise subject to statutory review
• any other matter prescribed by the regulations.

Also, Council’s review process must provide for a review that is independent of the person who:

• took the action
• made the decision
• provided the service.