Increase in complaints to the Local Government Ombudsmen

Complaints to the Local Government Ombudsmen increased over the last year and the upward trend is expected to continue, according to their latest annual report for 2010/11 published today.

The report shows a 21 per cent increase in complaints and enquiries dealt with at the initial point of contact, raising the number received to 21,840. This resulted in 7.5 per cent more complaints being forwarded to the Ombudsmen's investigation teams, a total of 11,249 complaints in 2010/11.

Education and children's services now forms the largest category of complaint considered by the investigation teams, increasing by 15 per cent from last year. Adult social care complaints concerning councils have increased by nearly 50 per cent from 667 in 2009/10 to 974 in 2010/11.

"We anticipate that the pressures on public services in the current financial climate will lead to additional demand for our service," said Dr Jane Martin, Ombudsman and Acting Chair of the Commission for Local Administration.