04/16/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Twenty five complaints to ombudsman about Pembrokeshire council in last year

THERE were 25 complaints about Pembrokeshire County Council made to the ombudsman in the last year.

In his annual letter to local authorities, Public Service Ombudsman for Wales Nick Bennett outlined the complaints made to all Welsh councils in 2019/20.

It includes 25 regarding Pembrokeshire County Council out of 866 across Wales, seven of which required ombudsman intervention.

The complaints were broken down by subject area with the highest amount being for complaint handling and planning and building control, which featured in five each. There was one complaint about benefits administration and one regarding education.

Other complaints related to children’s social services, environment and environmental health and housing, all generating three complaints each.

There were four county council code of conduct complaints made and then closed by the ombudsman after initial consideration, as well as one regarding Johnston Community Council and one about Pembroke Town Council. These two were closed after initial consideration.

Mr Bennett’s report, presented to members of the standards committee on September 29, states that 12 complaints were close because there were either premature, out of time or had the right to appeal, two were out of the jurisdiction and eight were closed after initial consideration.

Only one was upheld in whole or in part, while another six were had early resolution or voluntary settlement.

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