complaints Tag

Council upset parishes over area partnership

Angry parish councillors in Northumberland have accused the county council of reneging on a promise to consult them properly over the establishment of a key umbrella organisation. A cluster of parishes claim they were not allowed effective input to the process which led to the formation of the North Northumberland Area Partnership (NNAP) – which [...]

Council theft may be inside job yet no suspects found

INVESTIGATIONS into the mysterious theft of nearly £1,500 from Harrow Civic Centre – which auditors said had an ‘indication of staff involvement’ – have failed to uncover a suspect. Harrow Council had fought to keep the report into the incident confidential, but the Information Commissioner’s Office backed the Observer’s Freedom of Information request and ordered [...]

Eastleigh council found guilty of maladministration

A HAMPSHIRE council has been found guilty of maladministration causing injustice after it withdrew travel tokens for the elderly and disabled. An ombudsman report states Eastleigh Borough Council axed the scheme without proper consultation or assessment and did not deal with complaints properly. Until the concession was cancelled travel tokens could be taken instead of [...]

The Great Inertia Sector: A whistleblower’s account of council work where staff pull six-month sickies

In his emergency Budget this week, Chancellor George Osborne announced he was cutting public sector expenditure by 25 per cent. Unions have declared the cuts irresponsible. But are they? Here, one employee for a large inner London authority lifts the lid on the culture of inertia and incompetence at his workplace. The Mail knows the [...]

Compensation claims against Lambeth Council increase by 500 per cent

Compensation paid out by Lambeth Council for its mistakes increased by 500 per cent last year, it has emerged. The town hall paid out £118,812 in compensation in 2009-10 compared to £19,706 in 2008-09, according to a council report. The increase comes as it emerged the council received about twice as many complaints about its [...]

Pensioner slams council for parking fine anguish

A PENSIONER claims she endured months of hell because of a mix-up over a parking fine. Conwy County Council chiefs threatened to send the bailiffs round to the home of widow Elizabeth Hughes, 69, from Anglesey, after she failed to pay a £30 parking ticket. Mrs Hughes wrote two letters appealing the ticket, which she [...]

Council should “do the right thing” over King’s Park fines, say lawyers

“WE must have justice in our own back yard” – that’s the warning from a leading lawyers’ group that believes Bournemouth council must refund £100,000 of traffic fines. The Bournemouth and District Law Society is among those calling for the council to “do the right thing” and repay the thousands of motorists who were fined [...]

Council Pays £60k Following Complaints

COMPLAINTS against Cardiff council to a local government watchdog have resulted in payouts totalling more than £60,000, the Echo can reveal. The data, released under the Freedom of Information Act, showed the Public Services Ombudsman has investigated 422 complaints into the council over the past five years. In 75 of these investigations the council was [...]

Huddersfield Solicitor Helps Grandmother Wins 5 Year Battle With Kent County Council

A GRANDMOTHER who battled for five years with Kent County Council to be paid the same rate as a foster carer for looking after her granddaughter, has won her case in the High Court in London. The grandmother who cannot be named for legal reasons, fought for the right to be paid fairly for looking [...]

Councillors ‘Misled’ Over Bypass Decision

Burton and Dalby Parish Council used a Freedom of Information request for details used to inform borough councillors on whether to choose the north or south option for the first part of a bypass. Melton Council opted for the northern route which will be funded by 1,000 homes. But in a letter to Lynn Aisbett, [...]