rare to uphold a complaint

[marie]

I was told by various people including another investigator of social workers,that it is very rare indeed for the LGO to uphold a complaint and request that the council pay a final settlement.

I believe that our cases are so serious they should warrant maladministration. Obviously the final settlement is a cop out.

[ABH]

Latest figures are available from LGO website

http://www.lgo.org.uk/publications/chap ... s/#outcome

Local settlements 2,366 = 26.92%
Maladministration causing injustice (issued report) 69 = 0.78%
Maladministration, no injustice (issued report) 2 = 0.02%
No maladministration (issued report) 3 =0.03%
No or insufficient evidence of maladministration (without report) 4,065 = 46.25%
Ombudsman's discretion 2,284 = 26.00%
Outside jurisdiction 1,520
Total 10,309

Figures are slightly misleading because 10,309 complaints submitted, 2,366 local settlements = 22.95% not 26.92% Reported maladministration leading to injustice 10,309 submitted, 69 reports = 0.669% not 0.78%. A lesson in how the LGO massage their statistics, they leave out some complaints in some stats but include them in others. Strictly speaking only reported maladministration can be classed as the LGO upholding a complaint. A local settlement is the settlement of a complaint before it is formally upheld by the LGO. Hope my maths is ok.

[ABH]

Where the remedies and settlements resulted in a payment being made, the amounts obtained or recommended came to a total of over £1.3m

£1.3 million divided by 2366 settlements + 69 reports = £533.88 average per settlement/recommended compensation. Less than £600 for a council to buy of a finding of maladministration and stop a complaint dead in its tracks or comply with the recommended remedy in a report.

[marie]

The LGO assured me that the council had changed procedures and it was confidential and they couldnt tell me what but they were satsified.

Imagine my dismay when Corney investigated the way LGO had handled my complaint and he said that the council had looked into if they should change procedures. He gave a lot away in his letter. They have obviously lied to me. Nothing has changed at the council. Plus when I said £1000 was not sufficient for the trauma we went through. His reply he is not a doctor so he cant estimate an amount. But they come to a figure of £1000 so obviously someone is estimating how much our suffering is worth! Who is it?

Its a lot cheaper for the council to pay out £1000 than to be sued. The LGO seems to be doing them a favour

[Mac99]

The LGO assured me that the council had changed procedures and it was confidential and they couldnt tell me what but they were satsified.

Sorry I may be wrong in what I say but should the new procedures be available under Dp or FOI act if not in the pyblic domain?

Regards
Mac

[ABH]

FOI to the council in question not the LGO should secure the information.

[Mac99]

Hi ABH,

Yes that is what I meant. God but my spelling is get worse, pyblic indeed.

Regards
Mac

[marie]

Yes thanks. I have heard of that but I think it would be a waste of time. Looking into if they should change procedures is like lessons will be learnt. Its council bs for doing nothing

[ABH]

An FOI to the council would prove whether the LGO told you the truth about the council changing procedure. It's unbelievable that the LGO suggested the council had but couldn't tell you which one and how. It doesn't take much for a council to satisfy the LGO, the council could have promised to doing something but when the LGO looked the other way, didn't bother. The LGO don't normally do follow ups but It is possible that the LGO realise the council didn't bother and that's why they won't tell you what the council promised to change.