Interpretation

1   The Interpretation Bylaw applies to this policy.

Definitions

2   In this policy:

"committee" has the same meaning as in the Council Procedure Bylaw;

"director" has the same meaning as in the Officer Designation and Delegation of Authority Bylaw;

"employee" means a person employed by the City;

"frontline staff member" means an employee, but does not include the City manager, a general manager, a director or a manager;

"general manager" has the same meaning as in the Officer Designation and Delegation of Authority Bylaw;

"inquirer" means a person submitting an inquiry;

"inquiry" means a concern, issue or complaint submitted by a member of the public regarding the delivery of the City's programs or services, or the conduct of any employee that is inconsistent with City bylaws, policies or procedures;

"inquiry resolution process" means the process to review an inquiry, as set out in Part 2;

"manager" has the same meaning as in the Officer Designation and Delegation of Authority Bylaw;

"strategic leadership team" means the City's leadership team consisting of the City manager and general managers.

Policy statement

3   (1) The public has a right to bring forward concerns about matters related to the delivery of the City's programs and services.

(2) The City strives to improve customer service by providing a timely and accurate response to inquiries brought forward by the public.

(3) The City will review and respond to inquiries efficiently and effectively in accordance with this policy.

Purposes of this policy

4   (1) The purpose of this policy is to set out principles and procedures to guide how inquiries will be promptly, uniformly, and effectively addressed by the City to achieve excellent customer service.

(2) This policy does the following:

(a) provides a mechanism for the public to

(i) bring forward concerns to the City,

(ii) receive feedback, and

(iii) receive a potential resolution to their concerns without fear of retaliation or penalization;

(b) supports the Employee Engagement Strategy by empowering employees to address inquiries at the appropriate staff level;

(c) provides the hierarchy for handling inquiries.

Application

5   (1) This policy applies to all employees and members of council.

(2) This policy applies to the following scenarios:

(a) a concern regarding delivery of a City program or service;

(b) a concern regarding an approved City policy or procedure;

(c) an omission or error made by an employee;

(d) the exercise of discretion conferred by a City enactments upon a City employee;

(e) a scenario in which a person is personally affected by the actions of the City.

Guiding principles

6   (1) The City is committed to providing excellent customer service in the delivery of its programs and services and the deliberations of its employees.

(2) inquiries will be dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible.

(3) Inquiries will be forwarded for review in accordance with the inquiry resolution process.

(4) The investigation of inquiries will be fair, impartial and respectful to all parties involved.

(5) Inquirers will be provided with clear and concise reasons on how decisions about their inquiry were made.

(6) Inquirers will be advised of their options to escalate an inquiry if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of the inquiry.

(7) The inquiry resolution process sets out the process for escalating an inquiry.

(8) Feedback from inquirers will be used to assist in improving programs, services, policies and procedures.

(9) A resolution to an inquiry must comply with all applicable City enactments, provincial enactments and federal enactments.

Exclusions

7   (1) Inquiries made anonymously or on behalf of an unidentified third party will not be investigated.

(2) This policy does not apply to

(a) a matter already addressed by legislation,

(b) an existing City bylaw, policy, procedure, program or service that sets out a procedure for reconsideration or appeal,

(c) a decision of council,

(d) recommendations of a committee,

(e) a matter addressed under the Serious Complaints Policy,

(f) an investigation conducted by

(i) the Office of the Ombudsperson,

(ii) the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner,

(iii) a coroner, or

(iv) any other agency, board, commission or tribunal having jurisdiction to investigate or require the production of information from the City, or

(g) a matter related to law enforcement.

(3) Nothing in this policy requires the City to disclose information otherwise protected by an applicable law of non-disclosure of information or privilege, including

(a) solicitor-client or legal advice privilege,

(b) litigation privilege,

(c) informer privilege, and

(d) the protection of personal privacy and third party interests under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Inquiry resolution process

8   (1) The City uses a five-stage escalation process to address an inquiry.

(2) The inquiry resolution process

(a) creates an opportunity to provide customer service and satisfaction to inquirers,

(b) preserves procedural fairness in the case of a decision at stage 4 that is the subject of a request for reconsideration by Council under the Appeal Procedure Bylaw,

(c) identifies areas that need improvement,

(d) assists in the planning and allocation of resources, and

(e) provides opportunities to strengthen public support and confidence in the City as a public service provider that functions with professionalism and effectiveness.

(3) Despite anything in this Part, if a City enactment delegates authority to a specific person, an inquiry in relation to the exercise of the authority will proceed as follows:

(a) in the case of authority delegated to a manager, the inquiry resolution process begins at stage 2;

(b) in the case of authority delegated to a director, the inquiry resolution process begins at stage 3;

(c) in the case of authority delegated to a general manager, the inquiry resolution process begins at stage 4;

(d) in the case of authority delegated to the City manager, the inquiry resolution process begins at stage 5.

Inquiry received by Council member

9   (1) If a council member receives an inquiry, the council member will

(a) refer the inquirer to

(i) the City switchboard,

(ii) the Abbotsford mobile application,

(iii) the City website, or

(iv) to the appropriate departmental e-mail address, or

(b) forward the inquiry to the appropriate departmental e-mail address.

(2) A council member will not participate in the inquiry resolution process other than in accordance with subsection (1) and section 14 stage 5: Council reconsideration.

Stage 1: inquiry received by City staff

10   (1) At stage 1, an inquiry is received.

(2) Stage 1 begins when

(a) a frontline staff member receives a verbal inquiry,

(b) a written inquiry is received by City staff, or

(c) a telephone inquiry to the City switchboard is directed to the appropriate City staff or department;

(3) If the inquiry received by a frontline staff member cannot be resolved by a frontline staff member, it is escalated to a manager.

(4) The frontline staff member or manager will respond to the inquirer within 10 business days of when stage 1 begins.

(5) If the inquiry is resolved by a manager informally, no written communication or documentation is required.

(6) If an inquiry cannot be resolved by a manager informally under this section, it is escalated to a director for review at stage 2, or, in the absence of a director, to a general manager for review at stage 3.

Stage 2: director review

11   (1) At stage 2, a director reviews the inquiry.

(2) If the inquiry is not in writing, the director or manager will document the inquiry.

(3) Stage 2 begins when a written inquiry is escalated to the director.

(4) The director will initiate contact the inquirer within 10 business days of when stage 2 begins.

(5) The director will investigate the inquiry and explore a resolution.

(6) The director will provide the inquirer with notice of a decision and proposed resolution in accordance with section 15 notice of decision and proposed resolution.

(7) If the inquiry cannot be resolved by the director under this section, it is escalated to the general manager for review at stage 3.

Stage 3: general manager review

12   (1) At stage 3, a general manager reviews the inquiry.

(2) Stage 3 begins when an inquiry is escalated to a general manager

(a) by a manager, in the absence of a director, under section 10 (6), or

(b) by a director under section 11 (7).

(3) The general manager will initiate contact with the inquirer within 10 business days of when stage 3 begins.

(4) The general manager will attempt to resolve the inquiry immediately.

(5) The general manager will provide the inquirer with notice of a decision and proposed resolution in accordance with section 15 notice of decision and proposed resolution.

(6) If the inquiry cannot be resolved by the general manager under this section, it is escalated to the City manager for formal review at stage 4.

Stage 4: City manager formal review

13   (1) At stage 4, the City manager formally reviews the inquiry.

(2) Stage 4 begins when the inquiry is escalated to the City manager by a general manager.

(3) The general manager and City manager may meet with the inquirer to

(a) clarify the inquiry,

(b) confirm a common understanding,

(c) clarify the outcome sought,

(d) explain the inquiry resolution process, and

(e) investigate the inquiry.

(4) The City manager or delegate will provide the inquirer with written notice of a decision and proposed resolution in accordance with section 15 notice of decision and proposed resolution.

(5) An inquirer may seek reconsideration by Council of the City manager's formal review and decision at stage 4 in accordance with the Appeal Procedure Bylaw.

Stage 5: Council reconsideration

14   At stage 5, Council may hear an appeal of the City manager's formal review and decision at stage 4 in accordance with the Appeal Procedure Bylaw.

Notice of decision and proposed resolution

15   (1) Throughout every stage, as set out in this Part, staff will attempt to provide the inquirer with a resolution that adequately addresses the situation.

(2) An inquirer who submits a inquiry will receive a written notice or verbal communication of each decision and proposed resolution under section 11 stage 2: director review, section 12 stage 3: general manager review, and section 13 stage 4: City manager formal review.

(3) Notice of a decision and proposed resolution under this section will include the following:

(a) whether

(i) no further action will be taken, or

(ii) corrective action will be taken;

(b) any remedy is proposed;

(c) information about how to escalate the inquiry, if unresolved, to a further stage of review or, in the case of a stage 4 review and decision by the City manager, reconsideration by Council.

Monitoring and reporting on inquiries

16   Regular monitoring and review of inquiries will be conducted by the strategic leadership team, at their discretion, to identify issues, trends, areas of concern and opportunities for improvement.