LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council should issue a council tax refund from 2001 because it misadvised the complainant. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because the complainant could have used her appeal rights.

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint which was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mrs X could not have complained to us sooner. We cannot investigate her complaint about her social housing landlord because we have no jurisdiction to do so.

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s handling of her application for a disabled facilities grant. She says the Council produced an inadequate kitchen design which does not meet her needs. The Council was not at fault. It has designed a kitchen to meet Mrs X’s needs in line with the requirements of the legislation.

Summary: The Ombudsman found no fault by the Council on Mrs P’s complaint about it failing to take enforcement action for a breach of planning consent against neighbours who erected fencing and gates round their properties. The Council responded to her reports, contacted the neighbours, and negotiated the submission of applications.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s garden waste service. There is not enough evidence the Council’s suspension of the service involved fault. The Council extending Mr X’s garden waste subscription provides a suitable outcome for the suspensions. The missed collections once the service resumed and his reports to the Council did not cause Mr X significant personal injustice warranting our investigation. We will not investigate his complaint about the Council’s complaints process as we are not investigating the core issues giving rise to the complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse the complainant’s planning applications or its decision to take enforcement action. This is because the complainant had the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the garden waste collection service. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and insufficient evidence of injustice.