Big jump in complaints to Stafford Borough Council
Complaints have more than tripled in a year according to a report
Complaints against Stafford Borough Council have surged, more than tripling over the past year, according to a report.
In the 2025/26 period, Stage 1 complaints rose to 65 from 19, while Stage 2 complaints increased from eight to 30.
Most complaints concerned the development service, focusing on planning application outcomes.
During 2025/26, the council faced 48 Stage 1 and 22 Stage 2 complaints regarding development, significantly higher than the previous year's nine and four.
Five complaints were addressed by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, which found no fault with the council.
Causes and Responses
The increase in complaints is linked to delays and communication issues faced by complainants.
The council's Resources Scrutiny Committee noted that planning service backlogs led to frustration among applicants.
An improvement plan, including updated protocols and a new customer charter, aims to address these issues, with agencies recruited to help manage resources.
Councillor Brendan McKeown highlighted validation delays affecting applications, prompting concerns from Committee Chair Councillor Mike Dodson about minor issues affecting perceptions of service.
The council aims to acknowledge complaints within five working days. In 2025/26, Stage 1 acknowledgments averaged 5.87 days, and Stage 2 took 6.63 days.
Resolutions were faster than targeted; Stage 1 averaged 9.92 days and Stage 2 averaged 13.73 days, both within set goals.
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