Conclusion
Although formal complaint numbers decreased in 2024 to 2025, feedback has provided valuable insights for improving council services. Furthermore, the decrease is positive due to the implementation of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s code of practice, which was expected to result in an increase of complaints processed over the year.
A recurring theme across council services over 2024 to 2025 has highlighted that communication remains an area of concern for residents and service users. Each service area should continue to explore:
- ways in which communication can be improved moving forwards into 2025 to 2026
- whether this influences the number of complaints where fault is identified due to insufficient communication
Delays within services also continue to remain a concern for residents and service users. Conversations with service areas have concluded that more work is required to clearly outline the local authority’s timescales for work to be completed. This ensures that customers’ expectations are met, which will result in a decrease in the number of complaints raised.