Complaints found against Wyre Council are fewer than average

The data has been released in a letter sent to the authority by the Ombudsman.

There were 14 complaints about the authority received over the 12 month period ending on March 31 this year, one less than the year before.

Figures also suggest that Wyre has less complaints successfully found against it than is average for similar authorities.

Of the complaints made in the past year, just one was upheld.

This was a grievance that the council avoidably delayed taking the action over the complainant’s neighbour’s unauthorised development from September 2017 until they raised the matter again in May 2018.

The council apologised and paid the complainant £1,350 at the rate of £150 a month for nine months, accepting that the unauthorised development caused intermittent overlooking and disturbance and so affected their privacy and limited the use of their garden.

Two other complaints were considered by the Ombudsman, but these were not upheld.

Four complaints, relating to public protection, benefits/council tax and planning and development, were closed after initial enquiries.

The remainder of cases were referred back to be resolved 'locally'.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, as it is now officially known, investigates complaints from the public about councils and some other bodies providing public services in England, and makes its findings public.

In its annual letter to Wyre Council, the Ombudsman included statistics showing that 33 per cent of complaints about Wyre investigated by the Ombudsman were upheld against the council, compared to an average of 45 per cent in similar authorities.

A Wyre Council spokesman, commenting on the latest figures from the Ombudsman, said: "We work hard to ensure we provide the best service for our residents and any complaints received are dealt with the utmost importance."

The council explained that the number of decisions made in the year will not be the same as the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman's advice team, as some complaints decided in 2019/20 will have been received in the previous year, and some sent to the Investigative Team during 2019/20 will be ongoing.

However 15 decisions were made in total.