Our service commitment
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is committed to providing a high standard of service to all its customers – but we want to know when things go wrong.
We can learn from your experience – if you think that we have failed to do something or that we have done something badly, or you have a suggestion for improving services then it’s important that you tell us about it.
We want you to feel free to contact us with any comments or suggestions. By doing this you will enable us to put things right and improve the service. This does not affect the statutory rights whereby an applicant for planning approval can ask the Welsh Government to consider their case if they think we have made the wrong decision or we have not given a decision within an 8 week period.
Service Standards
Our staff are committed to giving you a high standard of service. They will deal with your enquiries politely and quickly and they will meet the standards set out in in this booklet, which is available in Information Centres or the National Park Office, Llanion Park, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire. Tel. 01646 624800.
Definition of Dissatisfaction
Anyone who has had contact with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority can express dissatisfaction about the following:
- the behaviour/actions of Members of the Authority or its staff;
- the standard of service provided by the Authority or the manner in which it was provided;
- lack of appropriate action or failure to deal with the matter quickly enough.
Normally, we will only be able to look at your concerns if you tell us about them within 12 months of the perceived incident. We may exceptionally be able to look at concerns which are brought to our attention later than this, however you will need to give us good reasons why you have not been able to bring it to our attention earlier and we will need to have sufficient information about the issue to enable us to consider it properly.
What to do
Contact us either by filling in the form below, by telephone, by visiting the National Park Office, by writing to us or by email.
Telephoning
You can telephone the National Park Authority’s Customer Contact Centre on 01646 624800.
If you have already had contact with the service and have ongoing correspondence you can telephone direct, quoting the letter reference.
If you prefer not to speak to the office, you can telephone the Chairman or any Member of the National Park Authority (see list of Members and contact details)
You can also ask a friend, relative or a representative to telephone on your behalf.
Visit the National Park Office
If you prefer you can visit the National Park office or ask a friend, relative or representative to visit us on your behalf in order to make the complaint or suggestion.
The office is located at Llanion Park, Pembroke Dock. If you are unfamiliar with the area the location map inside the front cover will assist you.
Write to the National Park Authority
You can write to us if you prefer by detailing your concerns in a letter, an email to info@pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk or by completing the form on our Service Standards document or at the bottom of the page. We are happy to communicate with you in Welsh or English. Please remember that we can only deal with complaints that are about our services and/or our Members or employees, or contractors working on behalf of the Authority.
Please feel free to suggest what we might do to solve the problem, and tell us how we may contact you.
Send your letter to (Please handwrite this address on your envelope/label only):
Administration and Democratic Services Manager
Freepost RTKR-GGRT-ESST
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Llanion Park
Pembroke Dock
SA72 6DY
What happens next?
We will acknowledge your communication or visit within three working days and tell you the name and telephone number of the person dealing with it.
We aim to resolve concerns within 20 working days. If your complaint is more complex we will let you know within this period why we think it may take longer to investigate. At the conclusion of the investigation into your complaint we will explain how and why the investigator has come to his/her conclusions.
What if I feel that the outcome is unsatisfactory?
If you feel that the matter has not been dealt with properly or you are unhappy with the reply, then you can ask the National Park Authority’s Monitoring Officer to investigate your case (telephone 01646 624800 or email monitoringofficer@pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk)
In doing so, you do not in any way affect your right of taking your complaint to the Ombudsman if you remain dissatisfied.
The Monitoring Officer is an independent adjudicator. At this stage you will have an opportunity to make any points which you feel have not been properly considered.
The Monitoring Officer will let you have a copy of his Report which will contain details of his decision and any recommendations. In addition the Monitoring Officer periodically informs the Authority/Standards Committee of the existence and nature of his Reports.
If you need help in making your complaint or concerns known to the Authority you can telephone our Customer Contact Centre team on 01646 624800 who will connect you with a senior officer who will be able to assist you.
Bringing a complaint to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (“the Ombudsman”)
The law provides that the Ombudsman may investigate a matter once he is satisfied that:
(a) the matter has been brought to the attention of the Authority, and
(b) the Authority has been given a reasonable opportunity to investigate the complaint and respond to it.
These requirements will have been met once you have received a formal response in writing from the Authority in answer to your complaint or the Authority has been given a reasonable time to respond to your complaint but has failed to do so. Your option and right to go direct to the Ombudsman is available as from that stage.
Please note that the Ombudsman has the discretion to investigate a complaint even if these requirements have not been met – if the Ombudsman is satisfied that it would be reasonable for him to do so in the particular circumstances.
If you wish to contact the Ombudsman, will you kindly note the following details:
The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
1 Ffordd Yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
CF35 5LJ
Telephone enquiry number: 0300 790 0203 (Calls to this number are charged at the normal landline rate, regardless of what part of the country you are calling from, including if you use a mobile).
Fax Number: 01656 641199
Visit the Ombudsman website
Please remember our commitment
If you feel we have done something wrong or badly or that there has been a long delay in dealing with any matter, please tell us about it. Only by doing this can we put matters right and acknowledge any mistake on our part. This will also enable us to improve our services for the benefit of everyone.