Local Government Complaints

The day-to-day lives of everybody are affected by the actions of local government, and so it is therefore important that any problems with its operation are acknowledged and resolved satisfactorily.

Maladministration

A major complaint within local government operation is maladministration. This is defined as the something the council has done wrong, or not done at all, that has adversely affected a member of the public. This could include a failure to reply, unsatisfactory record keeping, delay, failure to supply information or misleading or false statements.

This bad practice by councils succeeds only in harming the community they are elected to serve and tarnishing the reputation of the government as a whole. It is therefore imperative that complaints about local government maladministration are filed and pursued to a resolution.

Where Should a Complaint Be Made?

Complaints should firstly be directed to the local office responsible for the service highlighted. For instance, this could be a local housing office, a school, social services office or local authority centre.

Alternatively if the complaint is about a serious breach that cannot be resolved at ground level, then it can be taken directly to the complaints officer at the head office of the appropriate service.

Complaints can also usually be submitted online at the local authority website.

Who is at Fault?

Many complaints are resolved satisfactorily at a local level, however in recent years there have been an alarming number of cases where a complainant is made to feel that they are in fact at fault, despite strong evidence and arguments proving the council officers were in the wrong.

The Next Rung up the Complaint Ladder

If the local council fails to provide a satisfactory resolution to a complaint or even acknowledge any claims of maladministration, then complainants can always move up a step and let an independent and impartial observer uncover the truth.

But how fair and unbiased really is the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) in investigating complaints? There are many people within the UK that are wholly unconvinced by the adjudication of the LGO.

The Impartial Watchdog?

Recent years have seen a whirlwind of controversy surround the Local Government Ombudsman institution and its supposed impartially. The Ombudsman Watch, Public Service Ombudsman Watchers and LGO Watcher are a few of websites set up to expose how biased the LGO is in favour of the local councils it is supposed to investigate objectively, and in with the funding of the taxpayer.

Amongst the sizable evidence supporting these claims, the site draws attention to the disturbing fact that all three current Local Government Ombudsmen were themselves previously chief executive officers of local authorities. In addition to this, a large number of the LGO’s investigators have also worked in local government prior to their appointment.

Statistics also show that in all the complaints submitted to the watchdog, on average less than 2% are deemed to have justified claims of maladministration, a figure dramatically lower than the real level of ‘bad practice’ believed to occur in local government.

Sectors of Decency

Although there is ample evidence to suggest that the dismissive treatment a great number of complaints about local governments receive is unjust and unacceptable, this is not to say that there are not local authorities that uphold their responsibilities and act in a decent and conscientious manner.

Always Speak Out

Either way it is always worth making a complaint. Regardless of reports of malpractice, the public should keep the system working by speaking out when something is wrong, however frustrating it may be to find a resolution. Everybody makes mistakes, but as long as there is a readiness to acknowledge them and take action, then matters can move forward.