Ombudsman office

Ombudsman office

Purpose

The ombudsman gives members a free, informal and independent route to complain about how the polity's bodies treat them: delay, rudeness, unfair procedure, wrong decisions, failure to follow the polity's own rules. The ombudsman does not replace courts or arbitration and cannot overturn decisions; the office investigates, recommends and reports, and its authority rests on publicity and on the duty of bodies to answer.

Article 1. Appointment and independence

1. The ombudsman is appointed by the assembly by a two-thirds majority, on the nomination of a selection panel that includes members drawn by lot.
2. The term is seven years and cannot be renewed.
3. The ombudsman may not hold any other office in the polity, belong to a governing body of a political group, or carry out paid work that could create a conflict of interest.
4. The ombudsman can be removed only for incapacity or serious misconduct, by a two-thirds majority after a hearing.
5. The office's budget is set for the whole term at appointment and indexed; it cannot be cut during the term except as part of an across-the-board reduction applied to every body.

Article 2. Complaints

1. Any member, resident or person affected by a decision of a body of the polity may complain, in writing, orally or online, without charge and without a lawyer.
2. A complaint must normally be made within 12 months of the matter complained of. The ombudsman may accept a late complaint for good reason.
3. The complainant should first raise the matter with the body concerned, unless that would be unreasonable.
4. The ombudsman may also open an inquiry on their own initiative where several complaints or public reports point to a pattern.

Article 3. Investigation

1. Every body of the polity must give the ombudsman access to its files, systems and staff, and answer questions within 30 days.
2. Obstruction of an investigation is a breach of the charter and is reported to the assembly by name.
3. The ombudsman may close a complaint by informal settlement if the complainant agrees.

Article 4. Findings and recommendations

1. When a complaint is upheld the ombudsman recommends a remedy: an apology, a fresh decision, compensation within the limits set by the budget rule, or a change of practice.
2. The body concerned must reply within 60 days, stating whether it accepts the recommendation and, if not, why not.
3. Findings, recommendations and replies are published, with the complainant's identity removed unless they ask otherwise.
4. The ombudsman reports to the assembly each year, listing recommendations that were refused or not implemented.

Article 5. Systemic review and follow-up

1. If a body refuses a recommendation that concerns more than one person, the ombudsman may lay a special report before the assembly, which must debate it within 60 days.
2. The ombudsman checks implementation of accepted recommendations after six months and publishes the result.
3. The ombudsman may recommend changes to rules, forms and procedures that cause repeated complaints.

Article 6. Automated decisions

1. Where a complaint concerns a decision made or prepared by an automated system, the ombudsman may require the operating body to produce the system's register entry, the decision log for the case, the data used and a plain-language explanation of the reasons.
2. If the ombudsman finds that the system produces the same kind of error for many people, the ombudsman may ask the oversight body to consider suspension under the AI system register rule and may recommend that affected decisions be reviewed in bulk.
3. The ombudsman's staff includes or has access to technical expertise sufficient for these reviews.

Article 7. Accessibility and protection

1. The office publishes guidance in every working language of the polity and offers help to people who cannot write or use digital channels.
2. No person may be penalised for complaining or for giving information to the ombudsman.
3. Complaints about the ombudsman's own office are reviewed by an independent auditor appointed by the assembly.