Wiltshire Council received 783 formal complaints in 2025-26, up 27% on the previous year, alongside 2,384 service requests. Its annual complaints report also points to increasing evidence of residents using AI tools to draft complaints, and says the council is exploring how AI can support complaint handling.
In this video interview, LocalGov speaks to Perry Holmes, Director for Legal and Governance at Wiltshire Council, to find out what lies behind the increase and how much of it can be attributed to AI.
We discuss how an AI-drafted complaint differs in practice from a traditional one, and the challenges that length, factual inaccuracies and incorrect legal references create for officers. Holmes explains how the council is itself using AI in complaint handling and what it has made possible for staff so far.
The conversation also explores how human judgement, fairness and data protection are being kept central when AI is involved.
Holmes closes with advice for other councils facing a similar rise in complaints and AI-generated correspondence.
Further watching
Watch: Lessons from Brighton & Hove City Council in scaling AI
