The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled his concerns. This is because the complaint is late.
The complaint
Mr X complains about how the Council responded to his concerns about a family and an unrelated individual he worked with.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
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
Mr X was a councillor. In May 2024, he raised concerns about a family and another individual. He said the Council’s response was defamatory and it refused to engage. Mr X complained to us in October 2025. I will not investigate this complaint because it is late. Mr X could have complained sooner and there is no good reason to investigate now.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late, and he could have raised it sooner.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman