Ealing Council has said it has formally adopted the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s (LGSCO) Complaint Handling Code, as ministers step up pressure on local authorities across England to improve how they respond to public grievances.
The LGSCO introduced a significantly revised version of the Code in April 2024. It sets out clear standards for fair and transparent handling of complaints, emphasising swift resolution and learning from feedback to improve future service delivery.
The move follows a letter to council leaders from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, sent on 27 August 2025.
Baroness Taylor wrote: “Good complaint handling is a key part of keeping the needs of residents at the heart of the important work that councils do. I would encourage all councils to consider adopting the Code into their own complaint handling processes.”
Ealing Council confirmed it had already aligned with the principles earlier this summer. A spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “Ealing Council is committed to fair, transparent, and timely complaints handling. We welcome the guidance set out in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, which we adopted in July 2025.”
The spokesperson added: “Our updated Corporate Complaints Policy reflects best practice in resolving issues quickly, learning from feedback, and improving services for residents. We’re reviewing the Ombudsman’s Triennial Review recommendations and will continue to strengthen our approach to meet the highest standards of public service.”
On its website, the Ombudsman said of the code and encouraged local authorities to adopt it as soon as possible: “Local councils are encouraged to adopt the Code as soon as they are able to do so. We intend to start considering the Code as part of our processes from April 2026 at the earliest. This gives local councils the opportunity to adopt the Code successfully into working practices.
The Ombudsman’s Triennial Review, published in November 2024, made four recommendations designed to strengthen public redress and close accountability gaps. It called for simplified legislation to give the Ombudsman clearer powers across all local government arrangements, including those created by new forms of devolution. It urged the government to place a statutory duty on the Ombudsman to monitor compliance with its Complaint Handling Code, similar to arrangements in the housing sector.
The review also recommended making it mandatory for independent adult social care providers to signpost complainants to the Ombudsman, addressing a long-standing gap in protection for self-funded care users. The review also pressed for the Ombudsman’s remit to be extended into state-funded schools, particularly in relation to the implementation of education, health and care plans, support for children with additional needs, and decisions on admissions and exclusions.
 Complaint Handling Code, as ministers step up pressure on local authorities across England to improve how they respond to public grievances.){kind=link}