Report finds Birmingham City Council has more upheld complaints than any other authority in England

There were more upheld complaints about Birmingham City Council in one year than in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds combined, according to a new report.

The research by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found there were a total of 128 upheld complaints about the authority during the period between 1 April 2022, and 31 March 2023. That is more than every other council in England.

The local authority with the second-highest number of complaints was Surrey County Council with 68.

The figures come from the Ombudsman's Remedy and Compliance Outcomes 2022-23 report, which documents a local authority's total upheld complaints and satisfaction levels after an Ombudsman investigation. An upheld complaint is one the Ombudsman decides has merit after looking into a case.

During the twelve-month period in question, 84 per cent of complaints about Birmingham City Council investigated by the Ombudsman were upheld. This is higher than the average of 77 per cent in what are classed as similar authorities.

Birmingham City Council covers one of the largest populations of any council in the country which can partially explain why complaints are higher than in other areas.

According to the 2021 Population Census estimate, there are approximately 1,144,900 people living in Birmingham. In comparison, census data suggests around 812,000 people live in Leeds, 552,000 in Manchester, 556,500 in Sheffield, and 486,000 in Liverpool. That means for roughly 2.4 million people living across those four major cities, the Ombudsman upheld a total of 98 complaints in 2022/23 - 30 less than in Birmingham.

The Ombudsman report also said Birmingham City Council provided a 'satisfactory remedy' in just 7% of upheld cases before the complaint reached the Ombudsman, compared to an average of 10% in similar authorities. Furthermore, it was satisfied Birmingham City Council had successfully implemented its recommendations in 98% of cases - 1% less than the average for similar authorities.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, Solihull Council saw seven complaints upheld by the Ombudsman in 2022/23, while Dudley had 21. The City of Wolverhampton Council had nine and Sandwell had 17.

Common issues dealt with by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, which describes itself as the 'final stage' for complaints about councils, include waste collection, children's services, housing and education.

One case settled during the 2022/23 period involved Birmingham City Council paying out £30,000 to a wheelchair-using disabled man who was unable to get in and out of his Birmingham council house independently for eight years. The city council knew it was unsuitable for him all that time because it had a step up to the entrance, but did not act to sort it out, according to a report about the case.

Another more recent case settled in May 2023 found the council at fault for leaving 'nappies, sanitary products and rotting food' in the street outside a woman's house for days. It agreed to apologise to the woman and pay her £100 for the time and trouble she had been put through by its failure to act.

In response to the Ombudsman figures, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "One complaint is one complaint too many, but these figures have to be viewed in the context that Birmingham City Council is one of the largest local authorities in the country.

"A new corporate complaints process has been introduced which includes bringing in additional dedicated resources with the objective of delivering a consistently high standard of service, reducing delays and improving the quality of our responses.

"We welcome the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman complaints review - we want to hear residents' views and we are determined to reduce the number of complaints to ensure Birmingham City Council delivers best-in-class services."

The national picture sees special educational needs and disabilities provision for children and young people, adult care services, and housing as the key areas for concern. Compared to 17 per cent of all complaints in the Ombudsman's first report in 2014, education and children's services complaints now make up nearly a quarter (24%) of the organisation's workload.

Paul Najsarek, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: "We all want decent education services for our children, quality care for our loved ones when they are in need, and the reassurance of a safety net if we fall on hard times, but all too often the complaints we receive show this isn't what people experience.

"We know councils face huge challenges, so it is more important than ever for them to focus on getting the basics right in services for residents and handling complaints effectively. Although local authorities often get things right, we frequently find councils repeating the same mistakes, ploughing ahead and not taking a step back to see the bigger picture.

"Our latest statistics shed light on the harsh realities people across the country face in crucial aspects of their lives. Council leaders now need to focus on learning from common faults and injustices so they can make a significant difference to the people our local authorities serve."