Formal grievances submitted to the authorities in Worthing and Adur have reached unprecedented levels, with modifications to waste collection services cited as a contributing element and artificial intelligence potentially influencing the surge in case volumes.
Official documentation reveals that 937 formal grievances were lodged with the local authorities during the 2025-26 financial period.
This figure represents a 28 per cent rise compared with the preceding year’s total of 732 grievances.
A notable uptick in submissions occurred during May, which authorities attributed to alterations made to waste collection schedules.
Failures relating to bin collections emerged as the predominant subject matter of grievances.
The documentation identified 30 grievances specifically concerning missed bin collections, with seven of these instances recorded during December 2025.
Additional submissions highlighted concerns regarding bins not being returned to their designated collection locations, with four such incidents documented in November.
The report identified another potential contributor to the escalation in case numbers: the expanding implementation of artificial intelligence technology.
According to the findings, artificial intelligence enables individuals who may have previously experienced difficulty articulating concerns or considered the process excessively protracted to compile more comprehensive grievance submissions.
This development has resulted in increased administrative workload for council officers managing these cases.
When questioned regarding the evidence supporting this assertion and the specific influence artificial intelligence has had on grievance volumes, a spokesperson indicated that this reflected broader patterns observed nationally.
Reference was made to data from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, which documented a 33 per cent rise in grievances received during 2025-26, while the Housing Ombudsman recorded a 39 per cent increase in its caseload.
A spokesperson representing Adur and Worthing councils expressed commitment to delivering quality, dependable services offering value for money to all residents and visitors.
The authorities indicated that feedback and grievances were welcomed as they provided insight into areas requiring enhancement and assisted in ensuring communities received necessary support.
The increase in grievances was said to reflect broader national trends.
Through community engagement initiatives including drop-in sessions and various events, efforts were being made to facilitate resident interaction, improve awareness of available services and enable access to assistance.
The councils maintained their commitment to operating as an open and transparent organisation, emphasising that individuals should feel able to make contact when they had queries, concerns or required assistance.
Regardless of the method chosen for providing feedback, such submissions were welcomed.
The spokesperson noted that technological developments, including artificial intelligence and other digital resources, might be contributing to the rise in grievances by simplifying the process through which individuals could identify appropriate support and establish contact with the authorities.
Further information was provided indicating that the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman had advised local authorities that guidance regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the volume and complexity of cases would be forthcoming.
The response did not, however, include data illustrating the proportion of grievances submitted to Worthing and Adur councils that involved artificial intelligence tools, nor did it quantify the extent to which this technology accounted for the 28 per cent increase.
The rise in grievances does not automatically indicate that all cases stemmed from deficient service provision, as the documentation revealed mixed outcomes following investigation of submissions.
Analysis of initial-stage grievances showed that 41 per cent were substantiated while 12 per cent were partially substantiated, indicating that the authorities bore some degree of fault or service failure.
For escalated grievances at the second stage, 53 per cent were either upheld or partially upheld.
The Housing and Communities division received the highest volume of initial-stage grievances, accounting for 368 cases.
The Sustainability and Resources division recorded 295 cases, meaning these two departments combined represented 90 per cent of all grievances received.
Despite the record-setting number of grievances, the councils reported improvements in response performance.
The proportion of cases addressed within the required timeframe increased from 68 per cent to 76 per cent.
The review also documented 126 formal expressions of appreciation, representing a 31 per cent increase compared with the previous year.
This documentation is scheduled for discussion at a meeting of the joint audit and governance committee on September 22.