Ombudsman issues new complaints guidance

The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has issued new guidance to help combined authorities deal with the complaints they receive.

Believing that each combined authority has the opportunity to create an integrated complaints system that is better for the public, better for local accountability and better value for money, the guidance includes recommendations on how to create a simple, integrated complaints system.

Based on the over 40 years experience that the LGO has with dealing with unresolved local authority complaints, the new systems would be fair and encourage organisational improvements.

All services need to remain accountable to the people that use them, meaning that councils and combined authorities need to make sure service users have a clear route to redress when something has gone wrong.

Dr Jane Martin, Local Government Ombudsman, said: “People should have a seamless route for redress, and we want the new authorities to foster a ‘no wrong door’ attitude to complaints, where everyone is able to deal with a complaint regardless of whether or not that complaint was about their specific area or organisation within the combined authority.

“It is also imperative that the learning from complaints is shared throughout the new authority and used to improve future service provision.”