Process undermined

Residents who live close to an open-pit mine contacted us in frustration after complaining to their municipality about noise, dust, and emissions for years. Our review revealed that the municipality had not established a clear complaints procedure or communicated how people should raise their concerns about the mine. Frontline municipal staff sometimes did not know what to do with these complaints, and at least two different departments responded at various times, leading to confusion. The municipality agreed to clarify its process directly to the residents and on its website. It also committed to training staff so they are able to handle similar complaints in future.