The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has issued scathing criticism of Bolton council over its handling of complaints. In its annual review of the council's performance for 2025/26, the ombudsman said it noted 'a further deterioration this year' in the council's complaints management.
Witness summons threats
The report revealed that on more than one occasion the ombudsman service had taken 'the unusual step of threatening to issue a witness summons' to the council before it received the information it required.
The annual performance letter from the ombudsman service was addressed to the council's chief executive Sue Johnson. It said: "Last year, I highlighted our concerns about your council's complaint handling performance, so it is disappointing to note a further deterioration this year. Responses to our enquiries were late in six cases, three of which related to environmental services.
"In one case, the council requested an extension only after the initial deadline had passed. Although we agreed to this, it then failed to meet this date too.
"More concerningly, in two cases, the delays were such that we took the unusual step of threatening to issue a witness summons before we received the information we required."
Delayed remedies
The report added the service recorded compliance outcomes in seven cases during the year and in six of those the council's compliance with agreed recommendations was delayed.
The letter said: "In most cases, delays affected personal remedies such as apologies and payments, resulting in unnecessary waiting and added frustration for complainants. Such actions should be straightforward to carry out."
The report requested that the council take action to 'ensure responses to our requests for information are provided on time and that there is effective oversight of agreed recommendations, so they are delivered without delay'.
Council response
The council said that the issue had been the subject of a presentation to the council's standards committee on September 22. That meeting heard the steps the authority was taking to address the concerns of the ombudsman.
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: "We fully recognise the importance of effective complaint handling as a key element of good governance, accountability and service improvement.
"To support this, the council has invested in the development of a new corporate complaints team which will work in partnership with operational services to coordinate complaint handling, strengthen oversight, improve the quality of investigations and responses, and ensure greater compliance with both Ombudsman requirements and the complaint handling code.
"We are committed to learning from the issues identified and to delivering measurable improvements during the coming year."
