Harrogate Borough Council

Councillors & Committees

Local Government Ombudsman - Complaints

Do you have a complaint against the council?

If you have a complaint about something the council has done, or has failed to do, please give us the opportunity to deal with it.

You can email Customer Services at CustomerServices@harrogate.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can use the Feedback Form published on this website - http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/immediacy-1281

For more information and advice, please see Complaining to the council and the council's complaints procedure.

Not satisfied with the council's response?

If you aren't satisfied with the response after we have tried to deal with your complaint, and you believe that you have suffered injustice through maladministration by the council, you can make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) (opens in a new window)

There are, in fact, three Ombudsmen in England. The most local office is located at:

Beverley House, 17 Shipton Road, York, YO30 5FZ

Telephone - 01904 380200.

What can the Local Government Ombudsman do?

The LGO provides free, independent, impartial and prompt investigation and resolution of complaints.

They investigate complaints about most council matters including:

housing
planning
housing benefit
transport and highways
antisocial behaviour
council tax

Harrogate Annual Review for 2008/09 (PDF, 63KB) - The LGO review of their investigations of complaints against this council in 2008/09.

Key Facts about the Ombudsmen

Here are some key facts about Ombudsmen which are published on the LGO's website (opens in a new window):

There are three Local Government Ombudsmen in England.
We make our decisions independently of all government departments, councils and politicians.
We examine complaints without taking sides - we are not consumer champions.
We are appointed by Her Majesty the Queen.
We have the same powers as the High Court to obtain information and documents.
Our decisions are final and cannot be appealed - however, you can challenge them in the High Court if you think our reasoning has a legal flaw.
We do not have to investigate every complaint received, even if we have the power to do so - if we think you have been very little affected, we may decide not to consider your complaint.
We are committed to providing a fair service and spending public money effectively.
We do not charge for using our service.
When we find that a council has done something wrong, we will recommend how it should be put right. Although we cannot make councils do what we recommend, they are almost always willing to act on what we say.
If you have a complaint, first you must give the council concerned an opportunity to deal with it.