Chichester District Council proposes blacklist policy to curb abuse

There were five cases in the past year which saw aggression either threatened or used against staff

People who threaten and verbally abuse staff at Chichester District Council could soon find themselves blacklisted.

During a council meeting, details were shared of a new policy aimed at dealing with unreasonable complaints and the poor behaviour of those making them.

Among recent complaints was one person who sent 62 emails about a "relatively minor" issue.

There were five cases in the past year which saw aggression either threatened or used against staff.

At the meeting of the council's standards committee, monitoring officer Nicholas Bennett said: "Most people - 99.9% of people - who get in touch with this council act reasonably, are thoughtful, are always comfortable talking to officers in a way which is appropriate".

"There are many very challenging jobs in this council and, unfortunately, it does happen that there are some people - that 0.1% - who are unreasonable.

"They act in a way which causes it to be really difficult for the council to help them - or who make officers' lives very unpleasant."

While recognising that the cases in which people acted poorly were low, Mr Bennett said they were increasing.

If accepted, the draft policy would allow the council to limit the number of phone calls staff would accept from someone making unreasonable complaints, only allow them to contact a named officer, and only allow them to contact the council in one specific form - such as by letter.

The authority could refuse to deal with that person at all if the matter about which they were complaining had already been addressed.

The draft policy will be recommended to the full council for adoption.

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