Local Government Ombudsman Annual Report Details for the Year
Ended 31 March 2008
Complaints received
Volume
We received 14 complaints against your Council during the year,
six more than last year. We expect to see fluctuations like
this from year to year.
Character
Four of the complaints were about planning and building control
and another four concerned transport and highways. Three
complaints were received about public finance, two about benefits
and one fell into the 'other' category and was about waste
management.
Decisions on complaints
Reports and local settlements
When we complete an investigation we issue a report. I
issued no reports against your Council this year.
A 'local' settlement is a complaint where, during the course of
our investigation, the Council has agreed to take some action which
we consider is a satisfactory response to the complaint. The
investigation is then discontinued. In 2007/08 the Local
Government Ombudsmen determined some 27% of complaints by local
settlement (excluding 'premature' complaints - where councils have
not had a proper chance to deal with them - and those outside
our jurisdiction).
No complaints were settled locally this year.
Other findings
Six complaints were treated as premature and referred back to
your Council so that they could first be considered through your
Council's complaints procedures.
For three complaints I took the view that the matters complained
of were outside my jurisdiction.
Four complaints were not pursued because no evidence of
maladministration was seen and three complaints were discontinued
at my discretion.
Your Council's complaints procedure and handling of
complaints
The proportion of premature complaints determined was 38% (six
complaints) higher than the national average of 27%. Even so,
it is difficult to draw safe conclusions when the overall number of
complaints received is so small.
I am pleased to see that the information relating to complaints
on the Council's website remains detailed and accessible, with a
link from the home page and a link to my website. In
addition, I am pleased to note that the size of the text on the
screen can be increased, which helps to make the online information
more accessible.
Liaison with the Local Government Ombudsman
As you are aware, we ask councils to respond to our enquiries
within 28 days. Your average response time was 21 days, now
well within the target. This represents a considerable
improvement on the past two years. In particular, the average
response time is around 17 days quicker than in 2005-2006. I
would like to commend the Council for its efforts in reducing its
response time.
Training in complaint handling
Part of our role is to provide advice and guidance about good
administrative practice. We offer training courses for all
levels of local authority staff in complaints handling and
investigation. This year we carried out a detailed evaluation
of the training with councils that have been trained over the past
three years. The results are very positive.
The range of courses is expanding in response to demand.
In addition to the generic Good Complaint Handling (identifying and
processing complaints) and Effective Complaint Handling
(investigation and resolution) we now offer these courses
specifically for social services staff and a course on reviewing
complaints for social care review panel members. We can run
open courses for groups of staff from different smaller authorities
and also customise courses to meet your Council's specific
requirements.
All courses are presented by an experienced investigator so
participants benefit from their knowledge and expertise of
complaint handling.
I have enclosed some information on the full range of courses
available together with contact details for enquiries and any
further bookings.
LGO developments
We launched the LGO Advice Team in April 2008, providing a first
contact service for all enquirers and new complainants.
Demand for the service has been high. Our team of advisers,
trained to provide comprehensive information and advice, has dealt
with many thousands of calls since the service started.
The team handles complaints submitted by telephone, email or
text, as well as in writing. This new power to accept
complaints other than in writing was one of the provisions of the
Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which
also came into force in April 2008. Our experience of
implementing other provisions in the Act, such as complaints about
service failure and apparent maladministration, is being kept under
review and will be subject to further discussion. Any
feedback from your Council would be welcome.
Last year we published two special reports providing advice and
guidance on 'applications for prior approval of telecommunications
masts' and 'citizen redress in local partnerships'. Again, I
would appreciate your feedback on these, particularly on any
complaints protocols put in place as part of the overall governance
arrangements for partnerships your Council has set up.
Conclusions and general observations
I welcome this opportunity to give you my relections about the
complaints my office has dealt with over the past year. I
hope that you find the information and assessment provided useful
when seeking improvements to your Council's services.
Complaints received by subject area
| |
Benefits
|
Other
|
Planning
&
Building
Control
|
Public
Finance
|
Transport
and
Highways
|
Total
|
|
01/04/2007 -
31/03/2008
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
14
|
| 2006/2007 |
0
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
8
|
| 2005/2006 |
0
|
5
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
NOTE: these figures will include complaints
that were made prematurely to the Ombudsman and which we referred
back to the authority for consideration
Decisions
|
|
Maladministration
causing injustice
|
Local
Settlement
|
Maladministration
causing no injustice
|
|
01/04/2007
-
31/03/2008
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2006 –
2007
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
2005 -
2006
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Formal report
showing no
maladministration
|
No
maladministration
|
Ombudsman’s discresion
|
|
01/04/2007
-
31/03/2008
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
|
2006 –
2007
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
2005 -
2006
|
0
|
10
|
3
|
|
|
Outside
jurisdiction
|
Premature
complaints
|
Total excl
premature
|
|
01/04/2007
-
31/03/2008
|
3
|
6
|
10
|
|
2006 –
2007
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
2005 -
2006
|
0
|
2
|
13
|
| |
Total |
|
|
| 01/04/2007 -
31/03/2008
|
16 |
|
|
| 2006 – 2007 |
4 |
|
|
| 2005 - 2006 |
15 |
|
|
Response times
|
|
FIRST ENQUIRIES
|
|
Number of first
enquiries
|
Average no of
days to respond
|
|
01/04/2007
-
31/03/2008
|
3
|
21.3
|
|
2006/2007
|
2
|
28.0
|
|
2005/2006
|
2
|
38.5
|
Average local authority response tiems 01/04/2007 to
31/03/2008
|
Type of authority
|
<= 28 days
|
29 – 35 days
|
>= 36 days
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
District Councils
|
56.4
|
24.6
|
19.1
|
|
Unitary
Authorities
|
41.3
|
50.0
|
8.7
|
|
Metropolitan
Authorities
|
58.3
|
30.6
|
11.1
|
|
County Councils
|
47.1
|
38.2
|
14.7
|
|
London Boroughs
|
45.5
|
27.3
|
27.3
|
|
National Park
Authorities
|
71.4
|
28.6
|
0
|