17 Code of Conduct complaints were made to the Ombudsman about county councillors and town or community councils last year, senior councillors have heard.

Six complaints involved county councillors and 11 involved town or community councils.

At its November 2 meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet received the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales’s 2025-26 annual letter about the council.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales investigates complaints about Welsh public services and alleged Code of Conduct breaches by elected members.

A report for members presented by Cllr Jon Harvey said the annual letter only detailed complaints escalated to the Ombudsman level; the council receiving 1,052 complaints through its Corporate Complaints Procedure during 2025-26, representing an eight per cent increase compared with the previous year.

The report said the Ombudsman received 55 complaints about the council in 2025-26—below the Welsh average for councils of a similar population.

“The largest complaint categories related to Housing, Environment and Environmental Health, Planning and Building Control, Children’s Social Services and Complaints Handling.

“The Ombudsman closed 55 complaints during the reporting period and intervened in two cases, giving an intervention rate of four per cent. This compares favourably with the Welsh average of nine per cent.”

Of the complaints closed, 22 were not investigated, 19 were deemed premature, 12 fell outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction and two were resolved through Early Resolution.

No complaint led to an upheld investigation report, public interest report or voluntary settlement during the period.

Six Code of Conduct complaints involving county councillors were closed during the year.

Three complaints were closed because there was no evidence of a breach, two were not investigated in the public interest and one was referred to the Standards Committee.

Town and community councils faced 11 Code of Conduct complaints, with Haverfordwest and Neyland town councils recording four each.

Haverfordwest had three complaints with no evidence of a breach found, as did Neyland, and one each where the complaints were withdrawn.

One complaint against each of Martletwy, Nolton & Roch and St Florence community councils found no evidence of a breach.

Members noted the report.