The Local Government Ombudsman for Wales' Annual Report for the financial year ending 31st March 2000 is being issued today. The report notes that last year there was a decrease of nearly 19% in the number of complaints made to the Ombudsman against Welsh local authorities compared with the previous year - 919 compared with 1134. This is the sharpest annual percentage fall in complaints made to the Ombudsman's office during the 25 years of its existence. Housing and planning complaints remain the most numerous although there was a reduction in the number of complaints in both categories. In his report the Ombudsman draws attention to some of the issues which arose as a result of some of the complaints he received during 1999/2000. These include:-

• the need for training for members of Education Appeal Committees who deal with school admission appeals;
  
• the value of door to door canvassing by electoral registration staff to ensure the accuracy of the electoral register;
  
• the need to have in place a fair and objective system for determining priority between competing applicants for a service when demand for the service exceeds available resources;
  
• the need to consider the individual circumstances of each case and to give due consideration to objections before implementing policies.

The Ombudsman stresses the importance of councillors observing the National Code of Local Government Conduct. He also draws attention to the failure of some social services authorities and some perverse planning decisions.

Commission for Local Administration in Wales
Derwen House Court Road
Bridgend
CF31 1BN

13 July 2000