Colaboración entre las defensorías del pueblo y la Coalición Local 2030 de Naciones Unidas

Date of article: 02/05/2025

Daily News of: 06/05/2025

Country:  Spain - Navarra

Author: Regional Ombudsman of Navarra

Article language: es

El Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra – Nafarroako Arartekoa, Patxi Vera, se reunió recientemente en Bilbao con el Ararteko, Manuel Lezertua, y con Sébastien Vauzelle, director del Secretariado de la Coalición Local 2030 de las Naciones Unidas. El encuentro tuvo como objetivo explorar vías de colaboración entre las defensorías del pueblo y esta plataforma internacional impulsada por la ONU, que trabaja por el cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) desde el ámbito local.

Durante la reunión, Patxi Vera y Manuel Lezertua trasladaron al representante de Naciones Unidas las principales funciones que desempeñan las defensorías del pueblo en el Estado, subrayando su papel en la supervisión de la actuación de las administraciones públicas y en la defensa de una cultura democrática basada en la paz, la transparencia y los derechos humanos. Recordaron que, además del Defensor del Pueblo estatal, existen actualmente nueve defensorías autonómicas que ejercen su labor con independencia y cercanía a la ciudadanía.

Ambos defensores destacaron también que estas instituciones son Altos Comisionados del Parlamento, independientes del Gobierno y de otros poderes públicos, y elegidos por mayorías cualificadas. En este sentido, recalcaron su compromiso con la ciudadanía a través de la atención accesible, el impulso de la participación y su implicación en redes de cooperación tanto nacionales como internacionales en materia de derechos fundamentales.

Por su parte, Sébastien Vauzelle identificó dos elementos clave que comparten las defensorías del pueblo y la Coalición Local 2030: la proximidad a la ciudadanía y la independencia institucional. A su juicio, esta combinación refuerza la confianza pública en las instituciones, potencia la eficacia de las políticas públicas y asegura una acción sostenida en el tiempo, al margen de los ciclos políticos. Por todo ello, expresó su interés en avanzar en una colaboración estable y cercana con las Defensorías del Pueblo para avanzar en los ODS de la Agenda 2030.

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Sozialsprechstunde: Bürgerbeauftragte berät in Heide am 20. Mai

Date of article: 06/05/2025

Daily News of: 06/05/2025

Country:  Germany - Schleswig-Holstein

Author: Regional Ombudsman of Schleswig-Holstein

Article language: de

Probleme beim Bürgergeld, wie zum Beispiel mit der Übernahme der Kosten für Miete oder Heizung, mit der Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt, dem Wohngeld oder auch mit Leistungen der Krankenkassen oder Schwierigkeiten beim Kindergeld ­ die Bürgerbeauftragte für soziale Angelegenheiten des Landes Schleswig-Holstein, Samiah El Samadoni, hilft bei allen Fragen rund um das Sozialrecht. Darüber hinaus berät die Bürgerbeauftragte auch als Leiterin der Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Landes und als Ombudsperson in der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe im Rahmen dieser Sprechstunde. Zudem ist die Bürgerbeauftragte auch Beauftragte für die Landespolizei und damit Ansprechpartnerin für Beschwerden von Bürger*innen und Eingaben von Polizist*innen.

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Ombudsman’s Office opens its doors as part of Open House Lisboa 2025

Date of article: 02/05/2025

Daily News of: 06/05/2025

Country:  Portugal

Author: National Ombudsman of Portugal

Article language: en

The Ombudsman’s Office is taking part for the first time in Open House Lisboa, an annual event that invites the public to discover spaces that are usually closed or not very accessible in the city. On the weekend of 10 and 11 May, it will be possible to visit Palácio Vilalva, the headquarters of the Ombudsman’s Office, which is on the list of absolute firsts for the 14th edition of this event.

Under the theme “The Invention of Lisbon”, this year’s edition proposes a reflection on the buildings, infrastructures and spaces – visible and invisible – that mould urban and collective life. The Vilalva Palace stands out for its history, architecture and public function, offering visitors the chance to get an inside look at the workings of an institution that defends citizens’ rights.

The Ombudsman’s Office is part of a series of 72 spaces open to the public, with free visits, themed urban routes and activities for all ages.

For more information, see the official programme at: https://www.openhouselisboa.com

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News from the Ombudsman - April 2025

Date of article: 30/04/2025

Daily News of: 06/05/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - England

Author: Local Government Ombudsmen for England

Article language: en

News from the Ombudsman - April 2025

Welcome...

Welcome to the latest edition of News from the Ombudsman.

In this edition you can read about the:

  • latest update from our Ombudsman, Amerdeep
  • new Local Government Association Guidance for councillors on how to help with your complaints
  • new newsletter we are publishing to tell independent care providers about our work
  • national debates we have informed using evidence from our investigations
  • information on our website about how to appeal the school place your child has been offered

We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter. If you'd like to hear more about the work we do, why not follow us on LinkedIn?


Systemic challenges and public service improvements

NL - Amerdeep landscape

The last few months has seen us focus on our role in improving public services both at a local and a national level. Sharing our learning to bring about improvement is something we are required to do by law – it is stated in the 1974 Local Government Act – alongside our work to provide support to individuals when things go wrong.

We issued a report about services provided for children with special educational needs and disabilities by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council at the end of February. In the report, while examining an individual case brought to us, we uncovered that nearly 60% of children on the council’s books had waited more than eight months for decisions on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan reviews, significantly longer than they should have done. 

In Rochdale we found even higher numbers, where the council disclosed to us that it had a backlog of nearly 1,500 EHC Plan reviews to make decisions on. In a previous investigation it had told us it was taking steps to address this, but the two-year period we looked at showed that cases were actually on the increase. As a result of our report the council agreed to produce an action plan for improvements.

Alongside this we have issued a range of guides for councils on applying our Complaint Handling Code. We have worked hard to ensure these are practical, useful and clear, and collectively they give local authorities the tools they need to manage complaints in line with best practice. Whilst some councils already handle complaints in line with our Code, not all do and as such we are giving them the next 12 months to get their systems in order. We will begin to assess compliance with the Code in our investigations from April 2026, and later this year will be producing information for the public about how you can expect the Code to work in your local area.

Social care is obviously a huge part of our work and we have recently produced detailed and specific guidance on how local authorities should manage complaints about social care. We’ve also produced a video for independent care providers which you might find useful if you or a relative are using social care services that you pay for.

2025 is already proving to be one of our busiest years and there is no reason to think that will slow down. We continue to strive to provide the best possible service whilst managing the thousands of complaints that come to us every month.


Local Government Association issues complaint guide for local councillors

The Local Government Association has published a revised edition of its workbook for local councillors on handling complaints. 

Local councillors represent their area and the people who live in it. Councillors provide a bridge between the community and the council. They can act as an advocate for residents, signposting them to the right people at the council or raising issues on their behalf.

The new workbook incorporates key information from our Complaint Handling Code and good practice guides to support local councillors to best deal with complaints from local people and organisations. 

Read the workbook


Recent consultations

Question marks in wooden blocks

We regularly use the lessons we have learned from all areas of our casework to inform the expert evidence we provide to national debates.

We have responded to the following consultations and inquiries recently:

  • The Department for Education consultation on School Accountability Reform
  • The Department for Transport consultation on a New Rail Watchdog
  • The Public Accounts Committee inquiry into Local Government Financial Sustainability

You can read more about the consultations and enquiries we have submitted evidence to on our website.


Not happy with the school place your child has been offered?

Children walking to school

By now, parents whose children are due to start school in the autumn will have been told by their local authorities which school they should be attending.

Most parents will be happy with the place their child has been allocated, but for those who are not, there are ways to challenge this through an appeal process.

Although we cannot investigate complaints about academies and free schools, we can, in certain circumstances, investigate complaints from parents if they are unhappy with the way the appeal was conducted for other school types. We have factsheets on our website about our role in the complaints process in the following areas:


Newsletter for care providers

Happy older people in care setting

Did you know we also investigate complaints about private care providers in adult social care? 

We will be publishing a newsletter for private care providers from next month offering learning from our casework and information about good practice. 

The new newsletter will be aimed at professionals who work for, manage or lead care establishments and will be sent every two months.

Readers of this newsletter who would also like to receive our care provider bulletin can sign up by clicking on this link.


News you may have missed


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(EO) Ombudswoman Anjinho welcomes EIB decision to proactively publish more environmental and social data

Date of article: 30/04/2025

Daily News of: 30/04/2025

Country:  EUROPE

Author: European Ombudsman

Article language: en

News - Date Wednesday | 30 April 2025
Case 2252/2022/OAM - Opened on Wednesday | 22 February 2023 - Decision on Monday | 20 November 2023 - Institution concerned European Investment Bank ( Maladministration found ) - Country Czechia

European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho has welcomed a decision by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to start proactively publishing its environmental and social assessments for projects located outside the EU that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment. From now on, the EIB will publish this information ahead of the adoption of financing decisions by its Board of Directors.

The earlier publication of this data should allow the public to more meaningfully participate in the assessment of the environmental and social aspects of projects the EIB is considering funding. It will also better align the EIB’s practices with those of other multilateral development banks.

The EIB’s decision follows an Ombudsman inquiry concerning its refusal to give public access to the environmental and social assessment of a project in Nairobi, Kenya as well as its general practice of not publishing such information until after financing decisions have been taken.

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Link to the Ombudsman Daily News archives from 2002 to 20 October 2011