King’s appointment follows an endorsement from the communities and local government select committee following a hearing in parliament in November.
Javid said: “Michael King brings with him a wealth of experience to his new role as Local Government Ombudsman. This will be invaluable in making sure councils and care providers are held to account.”
A government statement added that he “brings with him an extensive 25- career in a range of consumer and public protection roles”.
King has worked at the ombudsman service in various roles since 2004, most recently as chief executive. He was previously chief standards officer for Northumberland County Council.
Commenting on his appointment, King said: “The ombudsman can give people a voice when all other options have been exhausted and can help restore trust in public services. But I believe that it is not enough to simply fix individual problems one by one.
"I want to build on the excellent work that LGO does and help councils and care providers learn from any complaints we receive, by sharing information better. That way we can ensure that they avoid repeating the same mistakes and provide the best service possible.”
Parliamentary and health service ombudsman Julie Mellor welcomed King’s appointment.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the LGO on our joint health and social care complaints and ombudsman reform, which will make it easier for people to complain about public services,” she said.
