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AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (ABDS) EXPLANATORY BOOKLET - Form ABDS1
4. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
4.1 HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT
4.1.1 What procedure should I follow if I wish to make a complaint?
If you have a complaint about the standard of service which the Department or Scheme Co-ordinator provides, you should contact the person in the local area office who is dealing with your case. You can register a complaint by letter, by telephone or in person. If you want to have your complaint considered by a more senior officer, please write to the Principal Agricultural Officer at your local Area Office. He/She will deal with the complaint if one of his/her staff is involved or forward it to the appropriate person. It will help us to investigate your complaint if you set out the facts as fully as possible, quoting your main farm code number. We will acknowledge your complaint by return, investigate it properly, and aim to reply within two weeks.
If you are dissatisfied with the response, you may write to the Chief Agricultural Officer, The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh EH14 1TY. If you are still dissatisfied you can write to ABDS Policy Branch, Farm Business Restructuring Division. Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh EH14 1TY.
You may ask your Member of the Scottish Parliament (or alternatively your Member of the UK Parliament) to take up your complaint with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development at the Scottish Executive, Pentland House, 47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh EH14 1TY.
You, or a representative authorised by you to complain on your behalf, may also ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman for your complaint to be investigated. Your representative may be an MSP, local councillor or any person you consider suitable to represent your interests. Your complaint must be submitted to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 23 Walker Street, Edinburgh EH3 7HX within 12 months from the day on which you first had notice of the matter complained of.
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