The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about traffic calming measures. This is because the complaint is late.
The complaint
Mrs X complains that the Council carried out works which resulted in speed bumps being lowered and it has not restored them to their original height.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mrs X complained about the issue in early 2023 and received a response from the Council in August 2023.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is a late complaint, and it could have been raised sooner. I can see no good reason to investigate now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman