Complaints and Appeals
For complaints and disputes relating to the Better Woodlands for Wales (BWW) scheme we have set up a specific process, as explained in on the BWW Complaints and disputes page. Our general approach to resolving complaints and disputes - We take all complaints seriously and will make every effort to resolve issues locally to everyone’s satisfaction.
- We try to resolve disputes using our internal complaint procedure.
- If you have a grant scheme contract, and we cannot solve the issue internally, the Terms and Conditions of the grant scheme may offer you the right to arbitration by a third party.
- For disagreements between organisations and local authorities with whom we consult about grant and felling licence applications, there is a formal process whereby an independent committee (the Regional Advisory Committee) will examine the issues and provide a report to the Forestry Commissioners who will then make a final decision.
- An appeal is a more formal process that is used when our internal complaint procedure is exhausted. It is governed by legislation that determines who you can appeal to, when and under what circumstances. An appeal always involves the intervention of a third party arbitrator to reach a resolution.
How to make an complaint
If you have a complaint, these are the steps to follow. Step 1
Initially, we deal with all complaints covering EIA, grant and felling licences and your first point of contact should always be to contact the North Wales Area Office who deal with all grants and licences applications. They will do all they can to resolve your complaint. If necessary they will put you in touch with the Operations Manager or the Head of Grants and Licences in Wales. Step 2
Regrettably, if the Head of Grants and Licences cannot resolve your complaint, you can write to the Forestry Commission Wales Country Director setting out the issues that you wish to raise. Step 3
If your complaint still remains unresolved after step 2, you may contact an appropriate non-executive Commissioner. Commissioners are impartial individuals drawn from a variety of backgrounds to provide a balance of interests and expertise to the Commissioners Board. If you want your case to be presented to the Commissioners, please write, clearly setting out the reasons for your complaint, to the address given below requesting that the complaint be passed to an appropriate Commissioner. An acknowledgement will be given and then within 4 weeks, a full response. You will be notified if more time is needed to fully investigate your complaint. The Secretary to the Commissioners
Forestry Commission
231 Corstorphine Road
Edinburgh
EH12 7AT. How to make an appeal
In all cases our complaints procedure should be your first course of action if you have are unhappy with a decision we have made. Only when our internal complaint procedure is exhausted should you consider making an appeal. . If you would like to make an appeal, use the table from the link below. This will explain what you have to do. It covers legislation that governs the type of appeal, and the circumstances, under which you can make an appeal. For example, conditions apply to the time within which you can make an appeal, to whom and on what grounds. Appeals Procedure (100k - pdf)
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