Residents9 complaints to Ombudsman up 3.5%

摘要

Complaints to the Ombudsman have increased by 3.5% while Smith Square data has revealed the lowest level of residents' satisfaction with councils since polling began.The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's 2017/18 annual review showed complaints about austerity-hit councils increased from 16,863 in 2016/17 to 17,452 last year.In an attempt to get councils to use the complaints process as a learning tool, the Ombudsman, Michael King, also made 21% more recommendations for service improvements in 2017/18.Mr King said: 'We know being on the receiving end of an upheld complaint can be a tough pill to swallow, particularly in these difficult times. But, this year, we've seen some really positive examples of councils taking on board our recommendations, making root and branch reviews of theirservices and putting in place changes that will help many more than just the person who originally came to us.'