Although Mrs Thomas retired as a Local Government Ombudsman (York office) in 2005 she deserves a page on this website because she was one of the worst Ombudsmen we have ever had.

Background: Born in London and spent the first 22 years of her life there. Student at Kings College London. Lecturer in law at Leeds University. One year in the USA as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Illinois.

Moved to Lancashire in 1968. Husband was then a Research Fellow at the University of Lancaster. Bought a farm, keeping cattle and sheep. He now runs a Pick-Your-Own soft fruit business.

Returned to work in 1973 after having three children. Lecturer at Preston Polytechnic. Head of the Law School (top cat) in 1978.

Board of Visitors at Preston Prison and also became a chairman of Rent Assessment Committees, Rent Tribunals and Social Security Appeal Tribunals. Appointed to the post of Local Government Ombudsman in 1985. Retired 2005.

Qualifications: LL.B and LL.M from the University of London.

Memberships: Business member of Morecambe and Lancaster college.

Outside interests: Picking fruit? Still involved with rotten apples then!

It was after Thomas became a Local Government Ombudsman in 1985 the service started to seriously decline. She had the legal expertise which other ombudsmen didn't have in order to manipulate the system to produce the results they all wanted.

Since then, although complaints of maladministration have been significantly increasing, the percentage of councils found guilty of maladministration has been reducing. So much so that a mere 1.6% of complaints now produce a finding of maladministration. Whilst in reality the figure is closer to 50% of complaints within their remit to investigate.

The system was manipulated by the then ombudsmen to hide rather than expose maladministration. Exactly the opposite of the expectations of Crossman, the government and complainants when ombudsmen were first introduced into this country.