Torbay compared with councils in South West
Compared with the 12 councils in South West.
- Residents
- 139,486 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,470 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Torbay sits
4
measures in the bottom quarter
6
measures below the middle
3
measures in the top half
Torbay compares worst with councils in South West on:
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (12th of 12; 1st is lowest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (11th of 12; 1st is highest)
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (10th of 11; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more (1st of 11; 1st is lowest)
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (5th of 12; 1st is lowest)
- upheld cases the council had already put right (5th of 12; 1st is highest)
SEND assessments
Education, health and care plans set out support for children with special educational needs. The law says a new plan should be issued within 20 weeks.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 27.1% | 34.1% | Below the middle 8th of 11 |
Ombudsman complaints
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints the council's own complaints process has not resolved. Upheld means the Ombudsman found the council at fault.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 4.3 | 4.5 | Top half 5th of 12 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 52.3 | 45.5 | Bottom quarter 12th of 12 | |
| Upheld complaints about children's services per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about special educational needs per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about homelessness per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld cases the council had already put right 2025-26 | 16.7% | 14.9% | Top half 5th of 12 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 75.5% | No figure |
Council housing
From the tenant survey and performance figures every council landlord reports to the Regulator of Social Housing. Only councils that still own council homes are included.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 70.5% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 66.3% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 72.2% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 54.3% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 83.7% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 5.7% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 86.7% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 93.7% | 95.7% | Bottom quarter 11th of 12 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 11.2 | 10 | Below the middle 8th of 12 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 3.7 | 19.7 | Below the middle 9th of 12 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 40.1% | 46.2% | Below the middle 8th of 11 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 2.6 | 2 | Below the middle 7th of 11 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 0.0% | 7.7% | Top half 1st of 11 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 45.2% | 56.2% | Bottom quarter 10th of 11 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 25.3% | 38.5% | Bottom quarter 9th of 11 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Torbay | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 93.3% | 93.7% | Below the middle 8th of 12 |
What the council spends
Net spending per resident in 2025-26, after fees, charges and specific grants, not counting schools. Spending more is not better or worse on its own. Negative highways figures come from parking income.
| Service | Torbay | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £449 | £280 | 1st of 12 | |
| Adult social care | £498 | £496 | 4th of 12 | |
| Public health | £108 | £53 | 1st of 12 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £58 | £35 | 3rd of 12 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £113 | £114 | 7th of 12 | |
| Highways and transport | £33 | £38 | 7th of 12 | |
| Culture and leisure | £35 | £35 | 7th of 12 | |
| Planning and development | £18 | £18 | 7th of 12 | |
| Central services | £79 | £46 | 2nd of 12 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,392 | £1,128 | 1st of 12 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Torbay’s children's services good at its last full inspection, in January 2026.
- Outstanding
- 2 of the 12 councils in South West
- Good
- 6 of the 12 councils in South West, including Torbay
- Requires improvement
- 3 of the 12 councils in South West
- Inadequate
- 1 of the 12 councils in South West
Over time
Torbay against the median of councils in South West.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Torbay: 27.1%
- Median (councils in South West): 34.1%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Torbay: 4.3
- Median (councils in South West): 4.5
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Torbay: 40.1%
- Median (councils in South West): 46.2%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Torbay: 11.2
- Median (councils in South West): 10
How to read these figures
Position 1 is the best in the group. The bottom quarter is shown in red, below the middle in yellow and the top half in green. Councils with the same figure share a position.
In each chart, every mark is a council in England and the large dot is Torbay. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.