Dozens of complaints about East Lancs councils to Ombudsman

The figure is revealed in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal's annual review of her work in the 12 months to March 31.

Blackburn with Darwen is an all-purpose authority providing a wide range of services including education, children's care, adult social care and highways to the borough.

Of the six complaints on which she made a final adjudication, last year five were upheld and one dismissed, compared to the previous year's figures of three upheld and four dismissed.

Ms Somal's review of 2023/24 says she received:

• three complaints about maladministration by Blackburn with Darwen Council about adult social care;
• six regarding benefits and tax;
• two about corporate services;
• 23 regarding education and children's services;
• two about environmental services;
• five about highways and transport;
• two about housing;
• four about planning and development;
• one other complaint.

BwDC chief executive Denise Park said all complaints are taken seriously (Image: BwDC)  

Ms Somal said she received 173 complaints in 2022/23 about Lancashire County Council, and upper tier authority which provides education and children's services, adult social care and highways to 12 districts including Burnley, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Pendle and Rossendale.

This was an increase on 2022/23's 145.

Of the latest year's total, 56 complaints were about adult social care; seven regarded corporate services; 87 were about education and children's services; 20 were about highways and transport; one was about housing and two regarded planning and development.

Of the 42 cases on which she made a judgement in 2023/24, Ms Somal found 36 cases of maladministration by the county council and dismissed six.

In 2022/23 the figures were 31 complaints upheld and seven dismissed.

Ms Somal's annual review also gave figures for the year for East Lancashire's district councils, which do not provide children's services, education, adult social care or highways.

Burnley Council generated seven complaints in 2023/24, down from nine in 2022/23.

There were three regarding benefits and tax; two about environmental services, public protection and regulation; and two about planning and development.

She made one ruling in 2023/24 upholding the complaint. In 2022-23 four complaints were upheld and one dismissed.

Ms Somal received eight complaints about Hyndburn Council in 2023/24 compared to four in 2022/23.

They included four about benefits and tax; one about corporate services; two about housing and one regarding planning and development.

In 2023/24 she ruled on a single complaint which she upheld. In 2022/23 two complaints were decided with both being dismissed.

Her report reveals 11 complaints received about Pendle Council in 2023/24 compared to nine 2022/23.

There were four about benefits and tax; two regarding corporate services; two about environmental services; and three about planning and development and housing.

In 2023/24 she gave a final ruling on none. In 2022/23 there were two rulings with one complaint upheld and one dismissed.

Ms Somal received five complaints about Ribble Valley Council in 2023/24 compared to nine the previous year.

They were three regarding corporate services and two about planning and development.

She gave a final adjudication in no cases compared to one ruling in 2022/23 which found maladministration by the authority.

Her report reveals there were six complaints received about Rossendale Council in 2023/24 compared to five in 2022/23.

There were two about benefits and tax; one regarding environmental services; one regarding housing and two about planning and development.

Ms Somal adjudicated on two complaints in 2023/24 finding the authority guilty of maladministration in both cases.

In 2022/23 one complaint was ruled on and dismissed.

Denise Park, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We take any complaints extremely seriously and appreciate the valuable role of the Ombudsman.

“The council works to support over 157,000 residents in our borough. As a unitary authority we provide hundreds of diverse services right from leisure to children’s and adults social care, education, waste and highways, to name just a few.

“With this context in mind, it’s reassuring that only a small number of complaints have been looked into by the Local Government Ombudsman.

"We strive to provide the very best services for our residents and respond appropriately to make improvements when there are lessons to be learnt.

“It’s important to add that we always try to deal with any complaints promptly and where we are unable to find a resolution for the resident, we will provide them with the Ombudsman’s details."

Cllr Phillippa Williamson, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: "We always take complaints very seriously and we appreciate the valuable role of the Ombudsman.

"We note that there were no upheld complaints about highways and many other council services as part of the figures published.

"We aim to always provide the very best services for our residents and respond appropriately to make improvements as a matter of priority when there are lessons to be learnt."

Rob Dobson, chief operating officer at Burnley Council, said: "The Ombudsman investigated a very low number of complaints about our services last year.

"While that it is pleasing, we learn lessons from each investigation; we're always striving to do better."

Pendle Council's director of place, Phillip Spurr, said: “We take any complaints extremely seriously.

"We strive to provide the very best services for our residents and will make improvements when there are lessons to be learnt.

“We always try to deal with any complaints promptly and where we are unable to find a resolution, we will provide them with the Local Government Ombudsman’s details."

Rossendale, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Councils declined to comment.

Ms Somal said: “What we’re seeing in the majority of cases isn’t a lack of care or an inability to take responsibility for what has gone wrong, but a sector struggling to cope.

“Almost all councils want to comply with our recommendations, accept responsibility when things go wrong, and provide good services to residents, and our 99.5 per cent compliance rate indicates this is the case.

"But all too often resources and finances prevent them from doing so as swiftly as they should."