MISSED bins, fly-tipping and the issue of toilets remain the main matters of complaint from members of the public to Copeland Council.

In total 168 complaints for the 2014/15 period had been investigated by the council, compared with 2013 the previous year. The majority of these however were in relation to the impact of that year's budget cuts such as closure/demolition of public toilets, and reduced brown bin collections over the winter period.

This year (2015/16) 80 complaints have so far been received, reported Marissa Joyce, the council's customer relations officer, to a meeting last week of the scrutiny committee.

Front-line services such as revenues and benefits attracted 39 complaints and there were a further 15 to the parks department about grass-cutting and weeding etc.

Mrs Joyce said she would aim to resolve the complaint within 10 working days (stage 1) but if the complainant was not satisfied the matter would be referred to a manager and thereafter to a director before reaching the Local Government Ombudsman if satisfaction could not be reached. 

Last year two complaints to the ombudsman were upheld, one where no injustice was found but in the second, maladministration with injustice was found. 

However around 90 per cent of complaints were resolved at stage 1, she said.

The council has a 'persistent and vexatious procedure' for serial complainers but has not had to invoke it for at least three years. 

"Feedback is not just about complaints, and we encourage staff to report compliments too and so far this year we have 15 registered, though I'm sure there are a good many more received."