Communities Secretary today (11 January 2017)
confirmed the appointment of Michael King as the new Local
Government Ombudsman (LGO).
Mr King brings with him an extensive 25-year career in a range of
consumer and public protection roles.
The Ombudsman is responsible for resolving complaints between
members of the public and councils about the services they run.
Mr King’s appointment to the role was endorsed by the Communities
and Local Government Select Committee following a hearing in
Parliament on 1 November 2016.
Communities Secretary said:
Michael King brings with him a wealth of experience to his new
role as Local Government Ombudsman. This will be invaluable in
making sure councils and care providers are held to account.
The Ombudsman plays an important role in investigating
complaints and resolving problems in a fair and independent
way. I look forward to him continuing this work.
Local Government Ombudsman Michael King said:
I know from my experience at LGO what a difference
the Ombudsman service can make to people’s lives. Our
independent investigations can expose serious failings and help
to remedy significant injustice.
The Ombudsman can give people a voice when all other options
have been exhausted and can help restore trust in public
services. But I believe that it is not enough to simply fix
individual problems one by one.
I want to build on the excellent work that LGO does and help
councils and care providers learn from any complaints we
receive, by sharing information better. That way we can ensure
that they avoid repeating the same mistakes and provide the
best service possible.
Protecting the public, improving services
The Local Government Ombudsman was set up by the Local Government
Act 1974 to conduct investigations into complaints from members
of the public who consider that they have suffered injustice as a
result of maladministration.
The Ombudsmen seeks to resolve complainants and help improve
services in the future. It also provides councils with guidance
to deal with complaints in a transparent and fair manner.
Michael King has worked at the organisation in various roles
since 2004, most recently as Chief Executive, and was previously
Deputy Local Government Ombudsman.
Mr King automatically also now serves as chair of the Commission
for Local Administration of England.
Before joining the Local Government Ombudsman, Michael King
worked for 15 years in a range of consumer and public protection
roles, including as the Chief Trading Standards Officer for
Northumberland County Council. He is also an independent member
of the British Hallmarking Council, and has served as a Citizen’s
Advice Bureau trustee.
In 2015 to 2016 the Local Government Ombudsman resolved more than
20,000 complaints and enquiries. More than half of all
investigations were upheld, and as a result the Local Government
Ombudsman made 3,529 separate recommendations to put things right
for individuals and improve public services for all.
Every decision on disputes is published in full on
the LGO website
at www.lgo.org.uk, where there
is also an online form to register new complaints directly with
the Ombudsman.
Michael King succeeds Dr Jane Martin, who has been the Local
Government Ombudsman since 2010. He will take up the post with
immediate effect.
