Complaint Regarding the Municipality's Handling of the Matter
Our staff members do their best to provide you with the best possible service. However, things can sometimes go wrong. For example, a staff member may not address you politely. Or you may not receive information, or you may receive it too late. If you are not satisfied, you can file a complaint. The municipality will handle the complaint in accordance with an established procedure (complaints policy).
If your complaint is about something broken on the street, if you see litter, or if you notice a nuisance, please file a report regarding the living environment.
After submitting your application, you can track its status online via My Moerdijk.
When can I file a complaint?
Every day, many residents interact with the municipality: at the service counter, by phone, by email, or by mail. Usually, these interactions go smoothly. Occasionally, however, things go completely wrong. You may feel you weren’t treated properly and want to file a complaint. The Municipality of Moerdijk has established a procedure for this: the complaints procedure. After all, we can learn from complaints—for example, how to improve our service. Simply put, the right to file a complaint boils down to this: If you believe that a civil servant, an alderman, or an administrative body has, in your view:
- acts unfairly or treats you unfairly;
- behaves badly or says hurtful things to you;
- is, figuratively speaking, stringing you along or sending you from pillar to post;
In that case, you can file a complaint about this course of action.
A complaint is not about receiving a “no” when you had hoped for a “yes” to your application or request. There are also numerous legal objection and appeal procedures you can follow if the municipality does not meet your needs. Furthermore, requesting compensation is not a matter that the complaints committee will address. If you are seeking compensation, you must hold the municipality liable in writing. That is not what the right to file a complaint is about. It concerns only the conduct of the civil servant, alderman, or administrative body with whom you had contact.
What happens to my complaint?
We will first attempt to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible through informal channels. Often, providing clarification or offering an apology can be a satisfactory response. If we are unable to resolve the complaint informally, a hearing will be held before the independent complaints committee. During this hearing, you will have the opportunity to explain your complaint. The public official or administrator against whom your complaint is directed will also be present at this hearing. After the hearing, the complaints committee will issue a recommendation to the mayor and aldermen. The mayor and aldermen will make the final decision on your complaint. The municipality strives to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible.
If you disagree with the decision on your complaint, you may submit your complaint to the Ombudsman Commission for a second review. The Ombudsman Commission will provide an independent assessment of the complaint.