Cheshire East Council paid out more than £106,000 in compensation to residents last year after 18 complaints were upheld by the local government ombudsman, writes Belinda Ryan.
This was a whopping 521% increase on 2023/24, where payments totalled £17,125.
In one case Cheshire East paid out £59,149 in compensation to a woman after the council and the integrated care board (ICB) stopped paying for her housing costs when the property changed to supported housing.
The ombudsman was told the woman depleted her savings because she had to pay rent and incurred legal charges as she had to seek specialist advice.
The ombudsman said: “We found fault in the way the council and the ICB decided to stop paying for Miss D’s housing costs as her accommodation should have been provided without charge in line with the terms of the Mental Health Act 1983.
“The legal fees she owes could have been avoided were it not for the faults.”
The council agreed to pay more than £59,000 for the rent it should have paid between February 2019 and April 2024 plus interest.
The corporate policy committee was also told there had been a 41% rise in complaints about the council, which were up from 3,051 in 2023/24 to 4,314 in 2024/25.
Complaints manager Alan Ward said most related to waste and to the council’s change of policy.
“We’re seeing a lot more complaints in relation to both the garden waste subscription and also damaged bin complaints,” he said, explaining that previously the council had replaced damaged bins for free but now it only did that if they had been damaged by the waste service team.
The committee was also told most of the complaints relating to adult services were because of changes to the charging policy.
Cheshire East also saw a rise in the number of compliments it received this year.
This was up from 824 in 2023/24 to 936 in 2024/25 – an increase of 14%.
Council leader Nick Mannion (Lab) said: “I think it’s important also we put on record an increase in compliments in a year when we had to take some tough decisions about reducing services, increasing charges, closing facilities.
“To record an increase in compliments is to be applauded under such difficult operating circumstances.”
The bad light is that CEC DIDN’T do the right thing and it is actually portraying CEC council in its correct light, due to incompetence. Labour run CEC just goes from bad to worse. What’s next?
Mr Gently,
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. There are questions to be answered when £59,000 is paid in redress following a complaint.
Was due process adhered to, were all protocols followed. Was the initial complaint investigated by an individual competent to make the investigation with the relevant professional expertise. How much did this complaint cost in time and what was the true cost to the tax payer. It is not as simple as the monies paid. Complaint handling is an expertise.
Cheshire East has a poor track record in wasting tax payers money. From Car Parks, Consultants for HS2 and buying mobile phones not required. Those are the well known issues. I am sure there are others.
Sadly monies wasted by Cheshire East Council has no consequences, it is if tax payers does not matter.
We expect value for money from our Supermarkets, I believe we have a right to see all Local Authorities be transparent and deliver value for the tax payer.
The outcome from Councils headed by the Reform Party will prove interesting. The Jury is out I will be delighted if they come back and inform the public that we are getting value for money.
Democracy will takes its course .
Most private sector companies take complaints very seriously, breach of procedures by employees and protocols had very serious consequences.
They are also a learning experience to ensure services are improved and the same mistakes are not made again.
So lets hope this is the case.
So that £59K wasn’t actually compensation just money it should have legally paid anyway, another misleading headline to portray Cheshire East in a bad light. The people of Cheshire will be ruing the day when they elect a Reform Council
Just further evidence of incompetence. Where does it end.