MPs tell ombudsman ‘you must improve’
Author: Jonathan Werran, The MJ |
MPs have urged the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) to improve its performance in providing redress for public complaints about local services.
In a report issued today the communities and local government Committee has voiced concerns the LGO is taking far too long to determine some cases, and demanded it sets strict deadlines to all cases it handles.
Questioning the Ombudsman’s efficacy,the Committee also recommended the LGO implements changes outlined in a recent strategic business review, clarifies how it proposes appointing a new chief operating officer and ensures its activities are scrutinised by an external independent reviewer.
Clive Betts, chair of the CLG Committee, called on the LGO to develop a clear methodology to measure levels of customer satisfaction and publish the results every year.
‘Ministers must also take steps urgently to update the governance agreement ? the so-called Grant Memorandum’ ? that it has with the LGO so that the organisation can have a clear and comprehensive understanding of its relationship with, and responsibilities to, the Department for Communities and Local Government,’ added Mr Betts.
According to its latest annual report issued 12 July, the LGO made 11,229 complaint decisions in 2011/12 ? completing more than 55% of cases within 13 weeks and 85% within 26 weeks.
However, the report found around 0.5% of the LGO’s caseload was not resolved within a year.While the LGO attributed such delays to the complexity of some cases and the need to fit around other organisation’s processes, Betts said the length of time taken ‘must raise questions about the LGO’s authority and credibility’.
Responding the Committee’s report, Dr Jane Martin, who is the Ombudsman and chair of the LGO said: ‘We will be responding in detail to the Committee’s report over the coming weeks and hope it will be evident, when we have had the opportunity publish our response,that many of the recommendations have already been taken on board.’