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Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service welcomes positive feedback. We want to learn from your experiences of using the service. If you compliment us on doing something well we can ensure that the good practice spreads across the service.

Complaints

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service aim to provide a high quality service to all our customers, but if you are unhappy with the service that you have received, please let us know.

Step One: We aim to ensure your complaint is resolved at initial contact. You can make your complaint in person to any Fire Service Premises, by telephone, by email, on the Services website or in writing to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. You should receive a response within 10 working days.

Step Two: If the initial contact was not resolved satisfactorily you can make a formal complaint by writing to Democratic Services, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Clemonds Hey, Oakmere Road, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 2UA, by using the Compliments and Complaints form or via the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service website. If you require assistance with completing the form you can call Democratic Services on 01606 868304.

When received, an acknowledgement of your complaint will be sent to you within 5 days, notifying you of:

- What we understand your complaint to be;
- How we are dealing with your complaint;
- How long this will take; and
- Who will be dealing with your complaint.

You will receive a response to your complaint within 28 days, if there is a delay and we are unable to respond within this timeframe, we will write to you notifying you of the delay and a reason.

Step Three: If you are still unsatisfied with the response you have received, please notify us within 28 days. Your complaint will be referred to a Senior Officer/Monitoring Officer who will conduct an independent assessment. We will inform you of the outcome within 28 days or advise you of any delay.

Step Four: If you are still unsatisfied with the response you are entitled to send your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.

The Contact details for the Local Government Ombudsman are:

Tel: 0300 061 0614

Website: https://www.lgo.org.uk/contact-us

If you’d like to make a complaint by post please call them on the number above and they will provide further contact details for you.

Download: Complaints Procedure

Further Information in relation to Complaints about our Staff

If your complaint relates to allegations of serious misconduct against one of our employees we will assign one of our managers who isn’t involved in the investigation of your case, to be your personal contact officer, to ensure you have a single point of contact. They will be responsible for providing you with updates on your complaint, checking on your welfare, and signposting you to additional sources of support/information.

We have a robust disciplinary policy and where staff have been found to have breached acceptable standards of behaviour they will be formally investigated by a suitably trained and impartial manager, and potentially subject to a disciplinary sanction, up to and including dismissal in the most serious of cases. This applies to all levels of staff including our Senior Leadership Team.

Whilst we would encourage you in the first instance to use our complaints process as outlined above, you may also wish to utilise the following confidential reporting mechanisms:-

Safecall (opens in new window)

Independent reporting line - His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (opens in new window)