Decision making quality and the Local Government Ombudsman
Cerebra, the disabled children’s charity has published[1] an important and troubling analysis of data concerning the performance of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO).
Over a decade of savage Government cutbacks have left public services hanging by a thread. Disabled, elderly and ill people, as well as carers, are being denied their legal right to decent social care, as councils endeavour to balance their books by doing what they can ‘get away with’ – which is ‘quite a lot’ given the virtual extinction of legal aid.
In these bleak times the LGO could be of immense benefit in holding public bodies to account. However, it too has experienced debilitating cuts. A recent Parliamentary Committee[2] noted that these amounted to a 40% reduction between 2010 and 2019 and expressed concern that further cuts were planned for the coming financial year. Faced with these funding problems, the LGO ‘experience’ for many complainants has suffered (in my opinion) in all manner of ways. One of these is highlighted by the Cerebra report – which suggests that a significant number of the LGO’s decisions are being ‘wrongly’ decided. To access the report, click here.
[1] The LEaP Team A look at the quality of decision making by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (Cerebra 12 February 2024).
[2] Letter dated 12 September 2023, from the Chair of The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee to the House of Commons to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.
Posted 26 February 2024.