The lease is pretty useless in this regard. It just states that the Lessee has to pay the service charges and lists the services that the Lessor has to provide.
It doesn't say that the Lessor has to provide the services in a cost effective way.

Something useful I found on the internet is the Local Government Ombudsman, which I will resort to if my complaint to the Council will get me nowhere as usual.

I suggest others to do the same. The website is:
http://www.lgo.org.uk/making-a-complaint/

Before contacting them though you have to complain to the Council first.