Contact

Contact us  
 

After hours assistance 

  • After hours emergencies involving Council facilities: 03 6323 3333
  • After hours emergency dog attacks: Tasmania Police 131 444
  • Stray or lost dogs: please see our Stray Dogs page.
 Report an issue
  • Report an issue: If you would like to advise us of any issue within the municipality, please complete our online Report an Issue form.
  • Snap Send Solve: A free application for smartphones that allows you to quickly report issues to Council. Your report is sent from the app using your email address so that the council can respond directly to you to solve the issue. To install, simply search for Snap Send Solve in Apple's app storeGoogle Play or visit the website.  
Services to offer further assistance

The City of Launceston is National Relay Service (NRS) friendly. If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can call us through the National Relay Service and ask to be connected to 03 6323 3000

TTY users can call 13 36 77. Speak and listen (speech-to-speech) users can call 1300 555 727. To make other relay calls, visit the National Relay Service.  

Customer Service Charter

Purpose and Scope

The City of Launceston Customer Service Charter applies to our customers who are any people or organisations that have dealings, alliances or partnerships with the City of Launceston including Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre, University of Tasmania Stadium and Launceston Visitor Information Centre.

We adhere to the Vision, Purpose and Values of the City of Launceston. 

 

Feedback

Our Customer Service Charter details the City of Launceston's service standards and explains what you as our customer can do if we have not delivered a service to that standard.

Our Charter has been developed to further build and enhance relationships and partnerships with our community and customers and to provide a system for continuous improvement in customer service delivery. We welcome any feedback on our services and facilities.

Please contact us with any feedback on our services and facilities.  

 

Help us help you by:

  • Treating our employees courteously and with respect;
  • Respecting the rights and privacy of other people in the community;
  • Providing accurate and complete information in your dealings with us;
  • Working with us to resolve issues when things go wrong;
  • Reporting any damage to City of Launceston owned infrastructure on 03 6323 3000 or after hours on 03 6323 3333;
  • Advising us when your contact details change; and
  • Providing us with feedback regarding our services.

What you can expect from us

At all times we will:

  • Handle your enquiry promptly;
  • Respect your privacy;
  • Consult with and listen to you, without making commitments we cannot keep;
  • Maintain the City of Launceston's facilities in a safe and proper manner to ensure your convenience and comfort;
  • Provide a high standard of presentation and performance;
  • Greet you in a friendly way and identify ourselves;
  • Be helpful and sensitive to your needs;
  • Communicate clearly and in plain English;
  • Work with you to solve your problem; and
  • Endeavour to deliver upon all service level commitments within our organisational standards. In some instances, due to a variety of circumstances, this may not be achievable.

 

The City of Launceston's Customer Relationship Management system has five response priority levels.  When you make contact with us we will let you know what level your request has been assigned.

They are:

  • Urgent - Immediate action required (same day)
  • High - Next working day response required
  • Medium - Response required by 10 working days
  • Low - Response required by 20 working days
  • Scheduled Greater than 20 days in line with scheduled work.

 

Service

Standard

Council-wide Customer Service

Answer your telephone call

Always

Return your call

1 working day

Acknowledge your letter/email (please note, if a detailed reply is required it may take additional time to research; we will let you know if this is the case)

10 working days

Respond to complaints

Always

Notify you as soon as practical if there is a delay on our service commitment to you

Always

Provide after hours service for emergencies

Always

Leave a “visit card” with contact details if we call at your residence and you are not at home

Always

Endeavour to refer you to an appropriate service provider if Council cannot provide the service you require

Always

A counter service queuing time of less than

10 minutes

Confidentiality of your personal information

Always

Reasons for our decisions whether they are agreeable to you or not

Always

To be seen on time if you have an appointment

Always

Acknowledgement and advice regarding intended actions to your written enquiries

10 working days

Animal Control

* Respond to emergency dog attacks

24 hours a day

Respond to routine dog complaints

3 working days

* For safety reasons, Council only responds to after-hours emergency dog attacks where Tasmania Police has requested assistance. Council is not able to respond to after-hours calls about stray or lost dogs

Building

Process a building permit

7 working days

Undertake building inspections

2 working days

Process a plumbing permit

21 working days

Undertake plumbing inspections

2 working days

Provide applicants with an initial review of decisions

Always

Drainage/Stormwater

Respond to drainage emergencies

24 hours a day

Respond to seepage/drainage problems

10 working days

Environmental Health

Respond to food complaints

48 hours

Respond to urgent environmental nuisances andhigh riskpublic health matters

24 hours a day

Inspect registered food premises

Minimum of once per year

Conduct immunisation clinics

Weekly

Conduct school immunisation clinics

Annually

Finance

Payment of accounts

By due date

Respond to rates enquiries

14 working days

Fire Hazards

Respond to fire hazard notifications (during permit period)

5 working days

Governance

 Legislative Requirements Always

Review Council’s Strategic Plan

Every 5 years

Publish Annual Report

Every November

Have Council Meeting Agenda available

4 days before meeting

Human Resources

Acknowledge receipt of job applications

10 working days

Provide outcomes of job applications

10 working days

Planning/Sub Division

Respond to a planning query email/letter

5 working days

Lodge a received planning application

1 working days

 Process a planning application  42 statutory* days
 Process a permitted application  28 statutory* days
 *defined as all days between lodgement of a valid application and decision making (excluding days where further requests are outstanding)

Roads

Inspect, assess and respond to requests about potholes, edge breaks and cracks

10 working days

Grade unsealed roads

Minimum of once per year

Attend to identified damaged street furniture

10 working days

Road sweeping of Council owned roads with kerb and gutter

Every 2 months

Waste

Garbage collection

Weekly

Recyclable collection

Fortnightly

Provide new or replacement wheelie bins

5 working days

 FOGO collection  Fortnightly
 Parks and Reserves
Inspect, assess and respond to requests in relation to park maintenance 10 working days
Urban parks / sportsground maintenance  Fortnightly
Inspect, assess and respond to requests in relation to tree maintenance 10 working days
 Urban tree inspection and maintenance  Annually
Inspect, assess and respond to requests in relation to playground maintenance 10 working days
Playground inspection and maintenance 3 monthly
 Emergencies
An emergency is regarded as an incident that threatens life or property or one that may cause environmental harm Within 2 hours

Contacting us

In person  

Customer Service Centre

Town Hall, 18-28 St John Street

Launceston TAS 7250

Open: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm

 Phone

Customer Service Centre

03 6323 3000

 Email contactus@launceston.tas.gov.au
 Post

City of Launceston

PO Box 396

Launceston TAS 7250

 Fax  03 6323 3001
After hours  After hours emergencies involving City of Launceston facilities: 03 6323 3333

 

After hours emergency dog attacks: Tasmania Police 131 444

 

National Relay Service

 

The City of Launceston is National Relay Service (NRS) friendly.  If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can call us through the NRS and ask to be connected to 03 6323 3000

TTY users can call 13 36 77. Speak and listen (speech-to-speech) users can call 1300 555 727. To make other relay calls, visit the NRS.

Snap Send Solve

Snap Send Solve is a free application for smartphones that allows you to quickly report issues to City of Launceston.  Your report is sent from the app using your email address so that the City of Launceston can respond directly to you to solve the issue. 

To install, simply search for Snap Send Solve in Apple's app store or visit www.snapsendsolve.com

 Councillors

Contact details for each Councillor is located on our website www.launceston.tas.gov.au

Or call the Customer Service Centre on 03 6323 3000.

Community Engagement

We are committed to ensuring that as many people as possible who are affected by decisions of the Council have the opportunity to be consulted about their needs and concerns prior to the decision being made.  

Website  Visit the City of Launceston's website for online services, latest news and notifications, and Council's meeting agendas and minutes.
Tomorrow Together Tomorrow Together is an online consultation platform providing locals the opportunity to have a say on key issues in the municipality.   
Council meetings

Council meetings commence on the fourth Thursday of January and then occur fortnightly. The public is welcome to attend and ask a question on any matter relating to Council; or speak at a Council meeting for a maximum of two minutes, on any item listed on the agenda. To ask a question or speak at the Council meeting you need to register your intention before the meeting begins. To do this you need to fill out a form located outside the entrance to the Council Chambers.

In the interests of openness and transparency and encouraging community involvement in decision making, every Council meeting is streamed live to the internet. The recordings start at the beginning of each meeting and stop at the beginning of the Closed Council agenda items.

Listen to live and previous council meetings online here.

 Social media Stay informed about issues and news around the municipality by following our Facebook Page, City of Launceston Official

    

Complaints

If we’ve let you down, we’ve let ourselves down and we would like to work with you to improve our service. The Council’s Customer Service Centre is your first point of contact for all enquiries and complaints.  

Definition of complaint

 It is important to note that a complaint is not an enquiry, request or disagreement

  • Enquiry: Appeal for information
  • Request: Appeal for assistance and action
  • Disagreement: Conflicting opinion to a policy or the direction of City of Launceston.
  • Complaint: A complaint exists when there is a gap between the service provided and the customer's expectation. A complaint exists when a customer initiate's further contact after an initial service has been provided and expresses dissatisfaction with the initial service provided.

It is necessary to differentiate between service provided and services available.  If a service is not available or provided by City of Launceston then this not a Complaint - it is a suggestion for future services expansion.

Experience has shown that the majority of complaints will be satisfactorily resolved, however if you are unhappy with the outcomes you may ask for a review of your complaint by the Chief Executive Officer, who will investigate your complaint and inform you of the findings.

A summary of complaints, including the number and nature, is provided annually to Councillors.

There is also the Ombudsman who may review actions and decisions taken by the City of Launceston. The Ombudsman is responsible to Parliament for investigating complaints made about administrative actions (or inactions) of Tasmanian Government Departments, most Statutory Authorities and Local Government.  Visit the Ombudsman's website www.ombudsman.tas.gov.au for more information and how to get in contact.

Help us help you by:

  • Treating our employees courteously and with respect;
  • Respecting the rights and privacy of other people in the community;
  • Providing accurate and complete information in your dealings with us;
  • Working with us to resolve issues when things go wrong;
  • Reporting any damage to City of Launceston owned infrastructure on 03 6323 3000 or after hours on 03 6323 3333;
  • Advising us when your contact details change; and
  • Providing us with feedback regarding our services.

Review

This policy will be reviewed no more than five years after the date of approval (version) or more frequently, if dictated by operational demands.

If you would like a PDF version of the Customer Service Charter or if you have any questions please contact us