The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has issued its annual complaints statistics for all councils in the North West in its annual review of local government complaints.

Bury Council received 73 complaints in 2019-20, six of which were upheld.

The complaints are related to different systems and services within the council including social care, children's services and planning applications.

Four were listed as invalid or incomplete, two had advice given and 24 were referred back for local resolution.

27 cases were closed after initial enquiries.

Nine complaints were not upheld, while six were, for a percentage of 40%.

Issued every year, the review summarises the complaints the Ombudsman has received, and identifies the trends the organisation is seeing across England.

The Ombudsman publishes information on the extent to which councils comply with its recommendations. Last year 99.4% of recommendations were agreed and carried out by councils.

The data, which includes specific information about complaints investigated for every local authority in England, is included on the Ombudsman’s interactive online map.

This now includes two years’ of complaints and remedies data, so people can start to build a picture of performance over time. The map can be used by council officers to learn from complaints, councillors to scrutinise complaints and decisions about their authorities, and by residents to hold their local authorities to account.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:“While we are seeing more and more complex cases beset by systemic problems, we are also increasingly working with councils to identify the root of those problems and making recommendations to improve the underlying policies and procedures causing them.

“These service improvements highlight the power one single complaint can have – when dealt with properly – to prevent problems reoccurring and improve services for others.

“The cases highlighted in my report reflect the reality of local authority life prior to the Covid-19 crisis, but I believe it is all the more important now to deal with complaints properly and to harness this free public feedback."

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