Ombudsman receives almost 100 complaints and enquiries about East Riding of Yorkshire Council
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is responsible for investigating wrongdoing in local public services.
If it finds that the council has acted in an unfair or unjust way, the ombudsman will offer recommendations on how to make things right.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAccording to figures from the body, there were 90 complaints or enquiries made about the East Riding of Yorkshire Council in the year to March – up from 56 the year before.
After investigation, the ombudsman found the council to have acted unjustly on 15 occasions last year.
The most common reason for coming to the ombudsman in the East Riding of Yorkshire was for issues related to planning and development, with 20 complaints or enquiries.
Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: "One complaint can have immense power to change things for the better.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“The vast majority of councils agree to the recommendations we make and see them as common-sense ways of providing better services for people in their area."
Nationally, the number of complaints rose compared to last year, with 15,826 in the year to March, up 25% from 11,830 last year, but did not quite reach the 17,019 recorded in 2019-20.
Problems with education and children's services were the most common reason to get in touch with the organisation, with 3,145 complaints and enquiries, while there were more than 2,000 each for planning and development, adult social care, and housing.
Healthwatch England, a health and social care champion, said they were particularly concerned about the national rise in complaints about adult social care, suggesting that financial pressures may be to blame.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe number of issues raised about the sector rose from 1,670 in 2020-21 to 2,139 in the year to March – including 11 in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The Local Government Association meanwhile praised councils for the work they are doing in tricky circumstances.
Peter Fleming, chairman of the organisation's improvement and innovation board said: "It is positive that in 99.7% of case councils are implementing recommendations made, showing that local authorities are determined to make sure these issues do not occur again."