THE Ombudsman upheld 19 complaints against City of York Council in the past year.

The number compares with 15 complaints upheld against North Yorkshire County Council, two against Ryedale District Council and none against Selby District Council or Ryedale District Council.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said in its annual review of complaints that a total of 71 complaints were made against York, but two were invalid, four led to advice being given, 14 were referred for local resolution, 29 were closed and three were not upheld.

This meant 86 per cent were upheld, higher than the average of 64 per cent for similar authorities across the country and 63 per cent of complaints in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The Ombudsman said 16 complaints to York council related to highways and transport, 12 to environmental and public protection, ten to adult social services, nine to planning and development, seven to education and children's services, seven to benefits and tax, six to housing and three to corporate services.

A York council spokesperson said it acknowledged the report and thanked the Ombudsman for their constructive feedback, which highlighted some good practice, as well as areas it was working on to improve.

"However, we note the Ombudsman’s comment that there has been some instances of poor organisation of information sent to them" they said.

"We will continue to work with the Ombudsman to understand this and make any further required changes and improvements.

"In the coming months, the annual complaints report will be taken to Corporate and Customer Scrutiny Management Committee,  which will include an update on the work taking place to continue to improve our services.

"We will continue to work closely with the Ombudsman to ensure we are as effective as possible as we strive to further improve our service."

A spokesperson for the Ombudsman said that the region had the joint highest proportion of its complaints about Benefits and Taxation -10 per cent compared with England-wide average of 8 per cent - but the joint lowest uphold rate for this category - 44 per cent, compared with 59 per cent across the country.

"Although the Ombudsman’s role is to remedy individual people’s problems, it is increasingly looking at how it can make sweeping recommendations on the back of those complaints to help councils learn and improve services for everyone," they said.

"In 2021-22, the Ombudsman made 1,848 service improvement recommendations nationally, with all but a vanishingly small number of councils complying (99.7%).

"In one case, a council insisted a family pay a top-up fee for a relative’s care home place, despite not offering one where they did not need to pay extra. Following the Ombudsman’s investigation, the council reviewed its processes and reimbursed a further 29 families."