Customer Service
In our continuing efforts to provide a good quality service the Department recognises the importance of listening to what our customers have to say. We are committed to acting on the feedback and messages from our customers as part of a strategic approach to improve the quality of our customer service.
One of the key ways in which we are attempting to enhance the customer service experience of all those who deal with the Department is by implementing the Northern Ireland Civil Service Customer Service Standards. The nine Customer Service Standards provide a practical way to help us develop and improve our customer service.
Customer Service Statement
The Department's Planning authority (formally The Planning Service) produced a Customer Service statement to inform you of the level of service you may expect when you deal with the Department.
Our aims are to ensure:
- staff treat you with courtesy and professionalism;
- facilities are comfortable and accessible, and;
- advice and guidance is readily available, easy to understand, accurate and up-to-date.
Complaints
We aim to provide a quality service for our customers.We take all complaints very seriously and place great importance on what our customers have to say. If you feel any aspect of our service falls short of what you can reasonably expect we would like to hear from you. Futher details on how to make a complaint can be found in our Complaints Procedure (
134 KB)
134 KB)Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure
The purpose of this policy is to set out for staff and the general public procedures for raising concerns in the work place, particularly where those concerns relate to unlawful conduct, malpractice or dangers to the public or environment. Further details can be found in Whistleblowing Policy and Procedures document ( 62 KB) (issued by The Planning Service in April 2010)
62 KB) (issued by The Planning Service in April 2010)Customer Surveys and Feedback
We seek customer opinion in a number of ways, one of which is through Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
Related documents are available below.
- Customer Service Action Plan 09/10 ( 40 KB)
- Customer Survey Report 07/08 ( 190 KB)
- Customer Survey Report 05/06 ( 64 KB)
Have you had a planning application processed recently? If so, our customer survey is now available online, and we would be grateful if you would take ten minutes to complete it.
You can also provide general feedback using our feedback form.
Translation Facilities
The Department is committed to providing equality of opportunity in accessing our information to all sections of the public including people with physical, sensory and learning difficulties and those whose first language is not English.
In order to help meet this commitment we have made this website Browsealoud 
enabled.
enabled. We also have measures in place to deal with written, face to face and telephone correspondence in languages other than English.
