COMPLAINTS to Ceredigion County Council have risen by 29 per cent this year, a report has shown, while the amount of compliments received by the authority fell by almost three quarters.

The Annual Report of Compliments, Complaints and Freedom of Information was presented to the council’s Governance and Audit Committee this week.

The report finds that 133 complaints were received by the council between 1 April 2021 and 31 March this year - a rise from last year of 30.

Bin collections were by far the most complained about service, with roads, planning issues and council tax making up the top four.

The report also shows that the Public Ombudsman for Wales received 63 per cent more complaints about Ceredigion County Council than in previous years.

In 2021/22 the Ombudsman received 52 complaints, compared to 32 the previous year, and 31 in 2019/20.

The report said: “A smaller proportion of complaints were upheld during 2021/22; 49 per cent compared with 54 per cent in 2020/21.

“This is positive and indicates that despite the increase in the number of complaints during the year, fewer were justified.”

The council received 224 compliments from members of the public in 2021/22, down by 72 per cent from last year.

“There were significantly fewer compliments received during this reporting period,” the report outlines.

“This reduction can be mitigated, in part, by the vast influx of compliments received in 2019/20.

“Several factors may have affected the council’s ability to capture compliments including the lack of resource to prioritise this activity.”

Compliance with Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information

Regulations (EIR) timescales were also at the “lowest level” for the council, the report said.

At just 67 per cent, “it is acknowledged that vast improvements are required in this regard,” the report added.

“This report reflects several challenges experienced during the reporting period including the complexity of complaints received, a general increase in activity following the pandemic in complaints, FOI, Ombudsman referrals and referrals to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

“These challenges have inevitably had an impact on the council’s ability to meet its performance objectives in relation to prescribed timescales.”