Local Government: Complaints

Mr. Stewart Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints have been (a) submitted to and (b) upheld by in whole or in part the Local Government Ombudsman in each year since 1996.

Ms Rosie Winterton
The following table shows the number of complaints submitted each year and the number of complaints in each year on which either a local settlement was reached or the Ombudsman issued a report finding maladministration.

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|         |Complaints submitted|Complaint settled locally or reported on by Ombudsman|
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|1996-97  |15,322              |2,752                                                |
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|1997-98  |14,969              |2,694                                                |
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|1998-99  |15,869              |2,624                                                |
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|1999-2000|17,555              |3,060                                                |
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|2000-01  |19,179              |3,945                                                |
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|2001-02  |18,309              |4,331                                                |
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|2002-03  |17,610              |3,857                                                |
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|2003-04  |18,982              |3,363                                                |
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|2004-05  |18,698              |3,042                                                |
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|2005-06  |18,626              |2,962                                                |
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|2006-07  |18,320              |3,088                                                |
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|2007-08  |17,628              |3,057                                                |
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|2008-09  |21,012              |2,885                                                |
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