NINE enquiries and complaints against West Devon Borough Council were made to the Local Government Ombudsman during 2009/10 and £2,250 was paid out in local settlements.

Of the nine cases, the same number as the previous year, were five cases about planning and building control, three cases about public finance and one housing case. Six complaints were transferred to the investigative team.

In the same period, ten complaints were decided against the borough council, some of which had been carried over from the previous year. This was eight more than during the period of 2008/09.

In three cases no or insufficient evidence was found of maladministration and two cases were outside jurisdiction.

In a further two cases it was decided not to investigate further where the complainant did not appear to have suffered significant injustice.

The council paid out £2,250 in 'local settlements' over planning and building control matters.

Two of these complaints concerned a failure to notify complainants of relevant matters including the holding and outcome of a public inquiry and a prior approval applications for a telecoms mast.

The third revealed a number of procedural errors in the council's handling of a planning and conservation area application.

In all of the settled complaints, the evidence indicated that even if there had been no administrative errors, it was likely the council's decision would have been the same. So compensation payments were limited to addressing the complainant's outrage at not being properly involved in the decision-making processes and their time and trouble in pursuing the complaint.

A spokesperson for West Devon Borough Council said the authority had no comment to make on the ombudsman's end of year review.