Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Executive Support Unit.

The Corporate Manager Executive Support presented the report, which explained the role of the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) in investigating and resolving complaints about councils and included the LGO’s 2016/17 annual review of complaints about Exeter City Council. He explained that there was a legal duty to communicate the Council’s performance in relation to the LGO annual review to Members.

He discussed the complaints received by Exeter City Council and decisions made by the LGO for the year ending 31st March 2017. Nine out of the ten cases dealt with the Ombudsman had resulted in no further action by the Ombudsman.  Only one case was upheld and, whilst the case was unique, improvement steps had been put in place for the future.

Members discussed the department in question, referring to issues arising in levels of quality due to reduced staff numbers and ways of making improvements and requested more information from the Planning Solicitor on the complaint and needs of the department. In response to questions from Members, the Corporate Manager Executive Support explained that any upheld complaint was a concern for the Council, but the Ombudsman only addressed cases in which the complainant was not happy with the Council’s response after considering it through the two stages of its complaints process.

The Audit and Governance Committee noted the report.