The next petition is PE1659, by Bill Tait, on a local authority complaints body. When the committee considered the petition on 21 September, we agreed to write to a range of stakeholders including the Scottish Government, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Citizens Advice Scotland, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers, and the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance. In the responses that we have received, there is no support for the action that is called for in the petition.
Written submissions also responded to concerns that were raised by the petitioner that the SPSO is not effective, as its remit is to do with procedure and not with the facts of cases. Both SOLACE and the SPSO have confirmed that the SPSO does consider disputes about the facts in cases; therefore, what the petitioner seeks already exists.
The petitioner clarified in his written submission that he seeks either the creation of a new body that has a proper remit to replace the SPSO, or a major overhaul of the SPSO to make it fit for purpose. The petitioner remains of the view that there is a postcode lottery with regard to local authority complaints and that there needs to be a set of rules
“of procedure that all councils must follow.”
Do members have any comments or suggestions for action?