Plans to reform “outdated and inconsistent” public service ombudsmen will make it easier to complain about poor services, the Law Commission said today. Download their press release, summary and full documentation. Dead line for responses 3 December 2010.
Posts Tagged ‘LGO’
Reform of the ‘outdated and inconsistent’ public service ombudsmen.
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Live Case Study
Friday, August 20th, 2010This is an example of a Local Government Ombudsman Investigation as it happens, you will be able to follow the progress and comment on any aspects of it as it goes along. Please use the comment box below. After the initial letter of complaint was submitted the Ombudsman responded with a letter of clarification.
The complainant’s response to the LGO’s letter of clarification. The response from the Council was received by the LGO and he confirmed this in writing to the complainant on 14 July 2010. Nothing further was heard so the complainant put in two Freedom of Information requests to obtain the response from the Council – One FOI request to the LGO and one FOI request to the Council.
The LGO then responded by email on the 13th Aug 2010 at 13.04 stating that he had not replied because some of the information was marked ‘confidential.’ The complainant repllied to the LGO’s email stating that all information should be released.
Further email sent to LGO from complainant 13 August 2010 18:46:18 GMT enclosing an article in the Local Newspaper with a comment underneath about the Chief Executive Portsmouth City Council being a Freemason.
The LGO responded by email on the 20th August 2010 at 18.06 stating that he had arranged for the Council’s comments and enclosures that he was able to send to the complainant to be forwarded to them.
The complainant received a letter dated the 19th August from the LGO together with the Council’s comments. The complainant sent the LGO an email on the 23rd August 2010 and received an acknowledgement on the 24th August 2010.
Further information on this investigation will be added as it goes along.
OMG!
Saturday, August 14th, 2010Although the Audit Commission is being disbanded, Eric Pickles stating “The corporate centre of the Audit Commission has lost its way. Rather than being a watchdog that champions taxpayers’ interests, it has become the creature of the Whitehall state.”
An unfortunate spin off detriment is that Eric Pickles also thinks that strengthening the powers of Local Government Ombudsmen, to give residents greater rights when local services go wrong, is the way forward. Read more here
Obviously, other than LGO spin, Eric knows sod all about Local Government Ombudsmen because they too have become a creature of local government who no longer champion the interests of (local) taxpayers.
The LGO knows better than our leaders
Friday, August 6th, 2010The Home Office/Respect and the Department for the Communities publish advice on Tackling Nuisance Neighbours and state that Antisocial Behaviour is often a series of incidents over a period which can ruin people’s lives, even if they are not in themselves serious incidents. In our case some of them are and have involved the Police over 13 years. The LGO however states that the Government advice is wrong.
Abolish the TLA (Three Letter Abbreviations)
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010The new Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles M.P., recently made a speech to the Local Government Association in which he pledged to “Abolish the TLA (Three Letter Abbreviation)”. He asked members of the public to send ideas to cutredtape@communities.gsi.gov.uk. A supporter has emailed and suggested that another TLA which should be abolished is the LGO. Other supporters may wish to do the same.
Spending Challenge: A suggestion by T Ezekpo
Saturday, July 10th, 2010Click the following link to leave a comment or vote.
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) office is a very costly financial burden which we cannot afford or justify the existence of.
After more than ten years of dealing with the LGO office , I have reached the conclusion that it is everything that it is not supposed to be ( i.e. ineffectual, unaccountable, unjust, unhelpful, secretive, out-dated and biased against complainants). It is not really serving any purpose and should be closed down or replaced as soon as possible.
The following websites show that many individuals from all over the country have reached similar conclusions from bitter experience of dealing with the LGO.
www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/lgo
How the idea could be implemented
Close down the LGO office or replace it with an independent, fair, honest, accountable, efficient and helpful alternative. Decrease the perks and salaries to ensure that only those who have genuine interest in serving the public will put themselves forward for the new alternative office- not ex local Authority fat cats.
BBC investigation into a council planning department.
Sunday, July 4th, 2010BBC (Scotland) reporter asks at the foot of his story, about a South Lanarkshire councillor ‘knowing’ a property developer, “Do you have a story you want me to investigate?” Why not read his article and then drop him a line http://is.gd/df0jk . It must be about time someone investigated Ombudsmen and not just councils. Especially since Ombudsmen and other watchdogs have patently failed to report let alone stop council corruption.
The Great Inertia Sector: A whistleblower’s account of council work
Sunday, June 27th, 2010A must read for all those working in the private sector or using the services of their local council. An account of public sector working conditions penned by a planning officer. This will shock readers to the core! The question one must ask is does this happen in other public sector organisations or quangos such as the Local Government Ombudsman? When will the government carry out an independent investigation into all public bodies and stop this sort of practice?
Government considers ombudsman merger
Friday, June 25th, 2010LGO and Housing Ombudsman may be merged.
Grant Shapps is understood to be considering creating a single service for social landlords which would fund itself through charges levied on landlords. The HOS is due to take responsibility for all complaints against social landlords under plans to abolish the Tenant Services Authority, announced by the housing minister last week.
Housing ombudsman Mike Biles said the topic had not been mentioned in detail in meetings with Mr Shapps.
“I have said to CLG that I am very keen to do whatever I can to help the Secretary of State and ministers to achieve their objectives,” he said.
The local government ombudsman did not wish to respond.
The Case of Mr and Mrs Wain verses Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Sunday, April 18th, 2010The LGO did not find Stoke-on Trent Council guilty of maladministration because she asserted that the Government Office West Midland was at fault. However, the Parliamentary Ombudsman Investigated the Government Office West Midland and totally refuted the claim put forward by The Local Government Ombudsman. Read more here.
