Draft Managing Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants Policy

The draft Managing Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants Policy was open for consultation from Wednesday 20 June to Tuesday 19 July 2022.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to view and comment on Council's draft policy. The feedback submitted was reported to Council at the Ordinary Meeting held on Wednesday 17 August 2022. For a summary of submissions received, please view the Council Report by clicking here.

The Managing Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants Policy was adopted by Council on 17 August 2022 and is available on Council's website by clicking here.

The NSW Ombudsman has a model policy to act as a guide for managing unreasonable conduct by complainants. The model policy aims to ensure transparency, accountability, fairness, and consistency in the management of Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants (UCC) incidents.

Council is committed to being accessible and responsive to all complainants regardless of ethnic identity, national origin, religion, linguistic background, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical ability or other cultural or personal factors. At the same time, the success of Council depends on the:

• ability for staff to do their work in the most effective and efficient ways possible
• health, safety, and security of staff
• ability for Council to allocate resources fairly across all the complaints received

When complainants behave unreasonably, their conduct can significantly affect Council in successfully undertaking the business of Council business. In such cases, Council will act proactively and decisively to manage any complainant conduct that negatively and unreasonably affects the business of Council and will support our staff to do the same in accordance with this draft policy.

Unreasonable conduct by a a complainant defined as ‘is any behaviour by a current or former complainant which, because of its nature or frequency raises substantial health, safety, resource or equity issues for our organisation, our staff, other service users and complainants or the complainant themselves.’ Council has not previously adopted a managing unreasonable conduct by complainants policy. The draft policy incorporates all sections of the NSW Ombudsman’s model policy.

On 15 June 2022, Council resolved

THAT

1. The Draft Managing Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants Policy on Public Exhibition for a period of twenty-eight (28) days and submissions be invited from the public.
2. A further report be submitted to Council following the conclusion of the public exhibition period.

Have your say by 4.30 pm Tuesday 19 July 2022.

• Check out the Council report and the Draft Managing Unreasonable Conduct by Complainants Policy in the document library.
• Complete an online submission form, send your thoughts to mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au or post to PO Box 141, Moss Vale 2577 to be received by 4.30 pm Tuesday 19 July 2022.
• Ask us a question below or contact the Corporate Strategy and Governance Team on 02 4868 0888