Public services and code of conduct complaints see “staggering” rise, Welsh Ombudsman says
The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales has reported a 37% increase since 2019 in the number of new complaints received about public services and the behaviour of local councillors.
In its annual report and accounts for 2023/24, the watchdog added that it had received 1,110 complaints about local councils, a 28% increase over the last five years.
It also received 518 code of conduct complaints, which represented a 16% rise from last year.
The Ombudsman said 55% were about how councillors promoted equality and respect, while just under 10% of the complaints concerned the duty to uphold the law.
Where investigations find the most serious concerns, the Ombudsman refers the cases to the Standards Committee of the relevant local authority or the Adjudication Panel for Wales.
In 2023/24, the Ombudsman made 21 such referrals involving breaches of the code – 85% of these referrals were upheld.
The Ombudsman found that a mistake worthy of intervention had been made in just 15% of the cases about councils it considered.
The Ombudsman also considers complaints about housing associations and health boards.
According to the report, complaints about health boards have increased by 31% over the past five years, while complaints concerning housing associations have risen by 47%.
Overall, the office handled more than 10,000 complaints in 2023/24.
Michelle Morris, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, said: "In the last year, we saw another record increase in the number of people contacting us with concerns and complaints about public services and the behaviour of local councillors. Our caseload has increased by a staggering 37% since 2019."
She later added: "2023/24 has been our most efficient year – we dealt with more complaints than ever before, reduced the costs for each case and investigation and also successfully reduced our aging cases.
"Our investigation and support staff dug deep to meet this target. We have helped more people and have made a significant contribution towards improving public services in Wales."
Adam Carey
