LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that he cannot afford to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice issued by the Council. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about damage to his property caused by Council-owned trees and shrubbery. This is because it is reasonable for Mr X to submit a claim to the Council’s insurers, and if needed take the matter to court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about bailiffs because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to allocate him a disabled parking space at his workplace. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

Ms B complained that the Council, in respect of her housing application, had failed to find her suitable alternative temporary accommodation despite concluding in July 2023 that her current accommodation was unsuitable and had failed to award her Band 1 priority on the housing register. This has caused Ms B significant distress and inconvenience living in unsuitable accommodation.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide free school transport. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.

Summary: Although the Council did as much as it could to find respite care to help Miss X look after her disabled son, it nonetheless failed to deliver the service – for which it was at fault. Miss X was without all the support she needed, which caused her an injustice. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment to her which recognises this. It has also taken steps to improve its service.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about highway maintenance because the court is better placed to consider the complaint and it is reasonable to expect Mr Y to go to court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a parking penalty charge notice as Mr X can appeal against it to the independent tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to pursue court action. The law prevents us from investigating the start of court action or what happened in court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a dropped kerb application because the complaint is late without good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice because the complainant can appeal to the tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s inspection of Mr X’s new roof by its Building Control Service. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council sufficient to warrant an investigation.

Summary: There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council decided it should not arrange alternative educational provision for a child who was not attending school. We have therefore completed our investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a council tax error because the Council has provided a satisfactory remedy. In addition, the complainant can complain to the Information Commissioner if she thinks there has been a data breach.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to Ms X’s concerns of a neighbour who places their rubbish bins out for collection close to her car. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to discharge the main homelessness duty to Ms X. It was reasonable for Ms X to ask for a statutory review of the decision.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council enforcing the conditions of an improvement notice by proposing to take remedial action and charge the building owner. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: Mr X complained about how the Council handled his homelessness applications. He said the Council’s actions impacted his mental health. There was fault in the way the Council was not clear why it offered Mr X accommodation, did not accept a review request and delays in the complaint process. The fault we identified raised Mr X’s expectations and he was frustrated by the delays. The Council should apologise, make a financial payment and provide guidance to relevant staff.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council wrongly issued him with a Penalty Charge Notice for an alleged parking contravention. This is because it was reasonable for Mr B to put in formal representations, and if needed, put in an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about where Miss X’s children should live. There has been court action about this matter and only a court can make further decisions.

Summary: Mr X’s representative complained the Council wrongly charged him for a contribution to his residential care fees when he was entitled to free mental health aftercare. His representative also complained about how the Council calculated an interest refund payment on the amount Mr X paid. The Council has accepted fault. It has agreed to make Mr X a suitable interest refund payment and to make him and his mother a payment in recognition of the distress caused to them.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about an unsuccessful school admission appeal. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault for us to be able to question the panel’s decision.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of the Council’s children’s services. This is because some matters have been, or could reasonably be, considered in court. We could not add to the Council’s investigation into some matters and others should be raised with the Information Commissioner.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a refuse operative being verbally abusive to him and his wife. We could not add to the Council’s investigation or achieve anything more.