How many complaints were made to Monmouthshire council last year

Two complaints against Monmouthshire County Council members were made to the Welsh local government watchdog during 2021/22.

Neither were upheld by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, which independent chairman of the county council’s standards committee, Richard Stow said was an indication of “high standards”. 

The figures were reported to the committee at its first meeting since May’s local government elections, where members were also told 20 complaints about council services were received by the ombudsman in the same period, with two requiring intervention by the body. 

The total number of complaints about Monmouthshire was a 25 per cent increase on 2019/20, when 16 service complaints were made against the council. 

Ombudsman Michelle Morris has said the number of complaints regarding local authorities, across Wales increased by 47 per cent last year (compared to 20/21 figures) and they are now “well above pre pandemic levels”.  

She said it is likely that complaints were “suppressed during the pandemic” and “the expected ‘rebound’ effect” is now materialising. 

Of the service complaints made against Monmouthshire council, six involved children’s social services, while the same number of complaints were made against the planning department. There were also three complaints about complaint handling. 

Adult social services, the finance department and housing were each subject to one compaint, while two were lodged against against the environment and environmental health department. 

Of the complaints about councillors, Mr Stow said: “My first reaction to this it is very good in respect there were only two complaints about county councillors and they were both dismissed as there was no evidence of a breach (of the council’s code of conduct). It seems that is a very high standard.”