Court Guide · Sources checked 13 September 2026 · England · council
Received complaints and decisions are different annual cohorts. A complaint decided this year may have arrived in an earlier year. Do not divide upheld decisions by complaints received to create a success rate.
Complaints and enquiries received by subject
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| Subject | Received |
|---|---|
| Adult Social Care | 0 |
| Benefits and Tax | 10 |
| Corporate and Other Services | 0 |
| Education and Children's Services | 0 |
| Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 2 |
| Highways and Transport | 2 |
| Housing | 2 |
| Planning and Development | 5 |
| Other | 1 |
| Total | 22 |
Decisions and investigation context
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| Measure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Invalid or Incomplete | 0 |
| Advice Given | 1 |
| Referred Back for Local Resolution | 2 |
| Closed after Initial Enquiries | 10 |
| Not Upheld | 1 |
| Upheld | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
| Upheld decisions per 100,000 residents | 0.6 |
| Average no of upheld decisions per 100,000 residents of similar authorities | 1.0 |
| Uphold rate (%) | 50% |
| Average uphold rate (%) of similar authorities | 74% |
Remedies and compliance
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| Measure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Number of upheld complaints | 1 |
| Uphold Rate (%) | 50% |
| Average uphold rate (%) of similar authorities | 74% |
| Upheld cases where the authority provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman (%) | 100% |
| Average satisfactory remedy rate of similar authorities (%) | 15% |
| Number of cases with a compliance outcome recorded during the year | 0 |
| Number of compliance outcomes recorded as delivered on time | 0 |
| Percentage of compliance outcomes recorded as delivered on time (timely compliance rate) (%) | no comp outcomes |
| Average timely compliance rate in similar organisations (%) | 75% |
| Cases we were satisfied the authority successfully implemented our recommendations to remedy the complaint (compliance rate) (%) | no comp outcomes |
| Average compliance rate of similar authorities (%) | 100.0% |
How to interpret these figures
The uphold rate concerns investigated complaints, after screening. Small numbers can produce large percentages. The source’s similar-authority comparison reflects council responsibilities; district and county councils are not interchangeable.
A council complaint about administration is different from an appeal against a decision. Using a complaints procedure does not necessarily pause an appeal deadline. Council housing landlord complaints may belong with the Housing Ombudsman instead.
Council complaint data: copyright Commission for Local Administration in England (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman). Reproduced with source acknowledgement; see the publisher’s copyright terms.
Useful next steps
Practical help: council complaints and remedies
An Ombudsman can investigate certain complaints about administration and service. That is different from a tribunal or court appeal against the merits of a decision. Use the route that fits the problem and preserve any separate appeal deadline.
Explain the action and its effect
Identify the council department, the action or delay, when it happened and the effect on you. Keep the relevant correspondence and state the practical outcome you are seeking. A clear short chronology helps an adviser distinguish service failure from disagreement with a lawful decision.
Follow the council’s complaint process
Check the council’s current procedure and keep its acknowledgements and final response. Some subjects have statutory complaint procedures. Ask for the next stage if a response is overdue; do not assume a complaint automatically suspends enforcement or an appeal limit.
Check the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman covers certain English council and adult social-care complaints. Social housing landlord complaints may belong with the Housing Ombudsman. Wales has the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. Check exclusions, time limits and whether another route is available.
Interpret the comparisons fairly
An upheld proportion relates to investigated cases, not all complaints or all users of the service. Councils have different responsibilities and populations. The source’s similar-authority comparison is shown where available, with small counts and unavailable figures left visible.
Official guidance and related resources
Data sources
- Local government complaint reviews - Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman · checked 13 September 2026
- LGSCO copyright and reuse terms · checked 13 September 2026
Figures retain the source’s units and periods. Unknown or suppressed values are not treated as zero. Methods and coverage · Report a correction.