Watchdog upheld more than three quarters of investigated complaints

A total of 78 percent of complaints against Dudley Council investigated by a local government watchdog were upheld last year.

Figures released by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for 2024/25 reveal there were 121 complaints against the authority of which 18 were investigated.

The others were either closed after initial enquiries, referred back for local resolution, invalid or incomplete or advice was given to the complainant.

Dudley fared well against the seven councils in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area, Solihull was top with 89 percent while Coventry was the only council with a lower rate of 77 percent.

In comparison with the national average for similar authorities of 81 percent Dudley also performed well.

To account for differing populations the Ombudsman’s data also includes upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.

In the WMCA region, Birmingham ranked highest with a figure of 8.1 while Walsall was lowest on 2.4; Dudley ranked fourth in the WMCA with 4.3 complaints upheld.

Across the West Midlands region there were 33 complaints made per 100,000 residents which is lower than the national average of 35 per 100,000.

Complaints and enquiries about children and education made up 26 percent of the Ombudsman’s caseload in the West Midlands with housing second on 14 percent and adult care services third on 14 percent.

Nationally data shows for the first time there were more than 20,000 complaints received by the Ombudsman.

Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “I appreciate national pressures in the key areas of special educational needs, availability of housing and adult care are putting enormous strain on local authorities, but we still hold them accountable to the law and guidance and the high standards people expect from their local services. 

“We are finding more fault, but I welcome their overwhelming compliance with the recommendations we make.”