Your Charter

Introduction
1 We have a reputation for providing high-quality services at value-for-money prices. We aim to make sure that you have the best services local government can offer at a price you can afford.

2 Our main aim is to improve your quality of life. This Charter explains what the Leisure and Amenity Services Department provides and what to do if you are not happy with any of our services.

3 Some of our major services, such as refuse collection, street cleaning, maintaining cemeteries, public toilets, maintaining parks and managing leisure centres, are carried out by private companies. All these services are controlled by contracts and a team of officers makes sure the work is carefully monitored.

4 We are committed to making sure that you have a clean and safe environment and a range of high-quality leisure and recreation facilities. This Charter tells you what you are entitled to and what services you can use.

5 The Charter also tells you how to complain, who the key officers are for the services, and what you should do if you are not satisfied with the way we deal with your problem. We have tried to make it as easy as possible for you to give us your complaints.

6 This Charter is for the people of Wandsworth. It does not claim to be able to suit everyone's wishes. Your local councillor will be happy to hear your views. Each councillor has a local surgery where you can go and talk to him or her about our services.

Your officers
Peter Brennan Director of Leisure and Amenity Services
Phone: (020) 8871 6353
Email: pbrennan@wandsworth.gov.uk

Paul McCue Deputy Director (Parks, Security & Events and Support Services)
Phone: (020) 8871 6868
Email: pmccue@wandsworth.gov.uk  

Peter Robinson Assistant Director (Waste, Leisure and Libraries)
Phone: (020) 8871 6393
Email: peterrobinson@wandsworth.gov.uk

Martin Stratton Assistant Director (Olympic strategy, Groundwork initiative, Wandle forum)
Phone: (020) 8871 6385
Email: mstratton@wandsworth.gov.uk

Leisure and Amenity Services Department
Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London SW18 2PU

Your complaints
1 We are committed to dealing with all complaints in an efficient and understanding way. We believe that your views are important and that complaints give us valuable information about our services. We aim to provide the highest-quality services, but sometimes things do go wrong, so it is important that we take all complaints seriously.

2 We have a procedure which aims to make it easier for you to make a complaint. This procedure means all services will have to deal with complaints quickly, consistently and helpfully.

3 The procedure is based on three stages.

Stage 1: Wherever possible, we try to deal with your problem where it happened. For example: at your leisure centre or library, or through the officers responsible at the Town Hall.
Stage 2: If you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been dealt with at stage 1, contact the Director. He will look into your complaint.
Stage 3: If you are still not happy, you can contact the Chief Executive, Gerald Jones. He will take an independent view of your complaint and make sure it is thoroughly investigated.

4 Of course, we hope you won't need to use all these stages and you can always contact your local councillor, your MP or the Local Government Ombudsman if you want to. But if you do this, your complaint will probably still need to go through stages 1. 2 and 3 to make sure all the facts are available.

5 The names and addresses you will need for stages 1 and 2 are given throughout the Charter. If you are not satisfied after stages 1 and 2, write to the Chief Executive, Gerald Jones, at:
Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London SW18 2PU.
Or phone him on (020) 8871 6001.

6 You can write to the Local Government Ombudsman at:

Local Government Ombudsman
The Oaks No 2
Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry CV4 8JB

Telephone:  (020) 7222 5622

The Ombudsman deals with any complaints of maladministration (poor management of services). The ombudsman cannot investigate our policy, but can look at the way we put the policy into action.