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The Local Government Act 1974 (LGA 1974) established a Commissioner for local administration more commonly known as the Local Government and Social Care ombudsman or LGO and referred to as the LGO throughout this Practice Note.

This Practice Note covers the statutory functions of the LGO, its jurisdiction including matters that it cannot investigate, powers and procedures. It should be read in conjunction with Practice Notes: maladministration—complaints and Maladministration—investigations and reports.

LGO’s mission statement is

‘remedy injustice—help improve local services.’

The LGO’s strategic objectives are to:

1. •

   ensure the service is easy to find and easy to use

2. •

   remedy injustice through impartial, rigorous and proportionate investigations

3. •

   use what is learned from complaints to help improve local services

4. •

   be accountable to the public and use our resources efficiently

The LGO is obliged to prepare an annual report on the discharge of its functions in relation to local authorities and present it to those authorities and parliament. Each local authority receives a bespoke report and review of its interaction with the LGO which