London Borough of Croydon (19 011 413)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 12-Feb-2020

Summary: This complaint is outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. A judicial review against the Council was commenced on matters complained about, the highway status of a piece of land and its associated rights of way.

Portsmouth City Council (19 014 430)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 31-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to take action over a caravan placed on private land in his street. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council which has caused any injustice to Mr X.

Worcester City Council (19 013 729)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 30-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council disposed of a former allotment site and then granted planning permission for development on it. He cannot alter the decision to allow the disposal of the land as this was made by the Secretary of State. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council considered the planning application for the development.

Derbyshire County Council (19 005 948)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 27-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council disposing of land granted to it in the early 20th century for development and profit. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because the complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for receiving complaints. The Council transferred the land to a college in 1997 and this was a legal matter which could only be challenged in the courts.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (19 013 710)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 22-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about garages included in the registered title of the property he purchased recently. This is because it is reasonable to expect Mr B to go to court to seek a remedy if the issue is not resolved.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 006 089)

Statement Not upheld Land 10-Jan-2020

Summary: There is no evidence of fault by the Council in requiring Mr Y to remediate contaminated land via the use of conditions attached to his planning permission.

Milton Keynes Council (19 012 232)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 06-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr B complains about the Council’s handling of matters relating to a planning enforcement investigation it undertook. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because there are insufficient grounds to warrant an investigation and the Council has already advised Mr B on how to achieve the outcome he seeks.

London Borough of Camden (19 014 138)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 31-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council owned garden next door is over grown and causing damage to her property. This is because the law does not allow the Ombudsman to investigate how the Council manages its social housing.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (19 012 504)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 24-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr B’s complaint that there was fault in the way the Council dealt with his application for an extension to a lease. This is because he has appealed to the First Tier Tribunal and started court action.

Surrey County Council (19 006 269)

Statement Not upheld Land 23-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will has discontinued his investigation into Mr C’s complaint about how the Council placed safeguarding restrictions on his property. This is because the events happened too long ago to allow for a rigorous investigation. Furthermore, Mr C can serve a blight notice to the Council, and appeal to the Land Tribunal.