The local Ombudsman is the commissioner of the Plenary of the City Council ofVigo to defend the citizens' rights and interests. According to the powers conferred to him in the regulations, he can monitor the performance of the Local Government and other public bodies involved in local strategic partnership.

Any individual or corporate body without distinction of class with a legitimate interest may apply to. The councillors and the constitued municipal groups can ask in justified writting the involvement of the local Ombudsman for research or investigation of actions, resolutions and specific behaviors involving the municipal performance which may affect any individual or goup of people.

Competence and Responsibility

The powers of the local Ombudsman cover the Local authority and its autonomous bodies, including other minor interdependent corporations and public entities; he also supervises the services given by administrative concession, and in general any body or public or private entity involved in public service tasks requiring any sort of guardianship concerning the matters under jurisdiction of the City Council of Vigo.

In relation with complaints or allegations received beyond the jurisdiction of the City Council, the local Ombudsman, at the request of those interested, shall inform, give advise and help to start up the appropriate complaint before the " National Ombudsman" or the “Valedor do Pobo"(Galician Ombudsman)

There remain beyond the local Ombudsman responsibility the central and regional peripheral administration within the municipality of Vigo; concession-operated entities or public licensees enterprises involved in utilities supply depending on the Central Administration or the Xunta de Galicia ; the Administration of Justice; employees matters and those subject to jurisdictional proceedings as well as the political control of the City Council of Vigo.

Application forms and Complaint Proceeding

Formal complaints or allegations directed to the local Ombudsman shall be made in writing by the interested party within a maximum period of one year, since the claim is stablished. The complaints' proceedings are free of charge and do not require the assistance of a lawyer or solicitor.

Once the complaint is admitted, the local Ombudsman shall promote a proper evaluation summary to clarify the formal requisitions and then give a report of the results to the person concerned.

The local Ombudsman should give an annual report about the procedure management to the plenary of the Council of Vigo which will be available to residents to be consulted.