Some days ago, the office of the Ombudsman for Wales produced its annual report for 2021/22 — and it does not make for pleasant bedtime reading when it comes to our local authorities across this region. It shows “significant increases in the number of new complaints received about public services.”

If there is any positive, it is that the office reported fewer new complaints about the conduct of local councillors. The downside is that these investigations into their conduct revealed serious concerns.

During 2021/22, the office received 2,726 complaints about public services – 45 per cent more than last year and 22 per cent more than in 2019/20 across Wales.

But then the statistics about each of our councils is far from flattering.

In Ceredigion, 52 complaints were received in 2021/22, up 63 per cent from 2020/21.

Gwynedd saw a rise of 30 per cent year-on-year to 39 complaints, while Powys saw a 45 per cent jump to 55 complaints in 2021/22.

Ceredigion council also received the highest intervention rate on complaints in the whole of Wales, with the Ombudsman stepping in on 28 per cent of cases compared to a Wales-wide average of 14 per cent.

Mostly, the Ombudsman intervened by proposing Early Resolution, to deliver justice quickly without the need for a full investigation.

However, 31 per cent of the interventions followed a full investigation — the office upheld or partially upheld 77 per cent of all the investigations that it closed.

The annual report also outlines that during 2021/22, it received 294 complaints on councillor conduct, and more than half of those complaints were about councillors at town and community councils. Just over a half were about how councillors promoted equality and respect. In 20 cases, the complaints were forwarded to the Standards Committee of the relevant local authority.

Simply put, the taxpayers of this region deserve better from our local councillors and those who run our councils.

Everyone at every level of those we employ through our taxes or at the ballot box, need to remember that it is we they serve, it is we who pay the bills — and their high salaries. And yes, we deserve better.

Pull up your socks and try harder!