The 40th Year of Local Government Ombudsman in England

Abstract

Ombudsman system shows different structural and behavioral characteristics in various countries. Ombudsmen may be organized either on a geographical basis such as national, regional, provincial level or in certain specific areas regardless of geographical regions. Ombudsman, originated in the early 18th century, has been administered as Parliament Commissioner in England since 1967. Duties and responsibilities of ombudsman in the country are mainly determined according to their fields of specilization. The focus of this study, Local Government Ombudsman, can investigate subjects falling within its scope. Local Government Ombudsman was established in 1974. Its level of recognition, duties and authorization, practices and sanctions have been discussed from the year of foundation to the present and criticized rigidly from time to time. Some operational changes have been made depending on criticisms, results of satisfaction surveys and feedback obtained from the complainant who applied to receive services from local government. Today, Local Government Ombudsman in England is again mostlydiscussed issue in terms of various dimensions. The process regarding a series of amendments within the framework of Transformation Plan which was developed in 2012 has been in progress. Having a crucial position within the Ombudsman system in England, Local Government Ombudsman may set an example for Turkey. It may yield positive and negative lessons with its forty years of experience, transformation, the reasons behind its transformation and the way complaints of complainants has been handled

Keywords

• Ombudsman, local government ombudsman, independence, audit, maladministration

40. Yılında İngiltere’de Yerel Yönetim Ombudsmanı

Abstract

Ombudsmanlık sistemi uygulandığı ülkelerde yapısal ve işleyişsel olarak birbirinden farklı özellikler göstermektedir. Ombudsmanların, ulusal, bölgesel ya da il düzeyinde coğrafi düzlemde örgütlenenleri olduğu gibi herhangi bir coğrafi bölge gözetmeksizin sadece belirli ihtisas alanlarında örgütlenenleri de bulunmaktadır. Kökeni onsekizinci yüzyılın başlarına dayanan ombudsmanlık, İngiltere’de Parlamento Ombudsmanı olarak 1967 yılından itibaren uygulanmaktadır. Ülkede diğer ombudsmanların çalışma alanları çoğunlukla ihtisas alanlarına göre biçimlenmiş olup, bu araştırmanın konusu olan Yerel Yönetim Ombudsmanı, yerel yönetimlerin görev alanına giren konuları inceleme yetkisine sahiptir. 1974 yılında kurulan Yerel Yönetim Ombudsmanlığı, kurulduğu yıldan günümüze tanınma düzeyi, görev ve yetki alanları, uygulamaları ve yaptırımları ile tartışılmış ve zaman zaman sert eleştirilere uğramıştır. Bu eleştirilere, yapılan memnuniyet araştırmalarının sonuçlarına ve kurumdan hizmet almak için başvuranların geri bildirimlerine bağlı olarak kimi işleyiş değişiklikleri yapılmıştır. Günümüzde İngiltere Yerel Yönetim Ombudsmanı çeşitli boyutlarıyla yeniden tartışma konusudur. 2012 yılında hazırlanan dönüşüm planı çerçevesinde bir dizi değişiklik yapılmasına ilişkin süreç devam etmektedir. İngiltere’deki ombudsmanlık sistemi içerisinde önemli bir yeri olan Yerel Yönetim Ombudsmanı, kırk yıllık deneyimi, geçirdiği dönüşüm ve bu dönüşüme ilişkin gerekçeleriyle ve başvurucuların şikayetlerini ele alış biçimiyle, Türkiye için örnek olabilecek negatif ve pozitif dersler içermektedir

Keywords

• Ombudsman, yerel yönetim ombudsmanı, bağımsızlık, denetim, kötü yönetim

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