AI images and ‘scatter gun’ emails could trigger restrictions under new council complaints policy
AI images and ‘scatter gun’ emails could trigger restrictions under new council complaints policy
Residents who use AI images to bolster a complaint or bombard Rotherham Council with emails could have their contact restricted under a new policy.
The council says the rules are intended for exceptional cases where someone’s behaviour prevents staff from doing their jobs or helping other people. It insists residents will still be able to raise legitimate concerns and challenge its decisions.
The Unreasonable Behaviour Policy, which took effect on Monday, September 28, covers anyone contacting the council, visiting its buildings or commenting about it. It includes relatives, representatives and organisations acting on a resident’s behalf.
Among the examples it lists are using AI to create enhanced images or unverified claims to make a complaint appear more urgent, sending “scatter gun” emails to large numbers of people, and repeatedly demanding answers faster than the council’s normal timescales.
It also covers threats, discriminatory remarks, publishing staff members’ personal information and making serious allegations without evidence. The policy says asking large numbers of detailed questions or requesting substantial amounts of information could be considered an unreasonable demand.
That does not mean a resident who sends a long complaint will automatically face restrictions. The council says it must first explain what behaviour concerns it, give the person a chance to change it and consider whether their enquiry has been answered or their complaint properly investigated. It must also take account of disability, neurodiversity, distress and personal circumstances, and consider support or reasonable adjustments.
If the behaviour continues, a senior manager can approve limits on how the person contacts the council. Those could include requiring emails to go to one named officer, limiting contact to certain times, allowing office visits by appointment only or declining to revisit an issue without new evidence. The policy also allows the council to restrict all access in the most serious cases.
Anyone subject to restrictions must normally be told why, how long they will last and how to ask for a review. The council says restrictions will be reconsidered at least every six months. Where someone poses an immediate threat to staff safety, it may act without warning and could contact police.
Rotherham Council says the policy will help it deal consistently with unacceptable behaviour while protecting access to services. It says it will use restrictions only as a last resort and will not refuse access where a reasonable alternative is available.