East Sussex County Council (19 009 618)

Statement Upheld Other 12-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council unfairly restricted his access to its service, causing him distress. The Ombudsman finds fault in the Council’s decision making process and recommends the Council lifts the restriction, pays Mr X £100 for distress and takes action to prevent recurrence.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (19 009 674)

Statement Not upheld Leisure and culture 12-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman does not find fault with the way the Council responded to concerns Mr C raised about a pool at a country park.

Sunderland City Council (19 012 004)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 12-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the quality of service he received from the Council when it represented him at a lower tribunal hearing for Personal Independence Payments. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. We cannot consider matters relating to tribunal decisions. And any injustice he may have suffered is remedied by his case being reheard by the Lower Tribunal and its new decision to award him higher payments.

East Suffolk Council (19 014 194)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 12-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to provide information to the complainant. The complainant can ask the Information Commissioner to consider the matter and appeal to a tribunal if necessary.

Wealden District Council (19 017 165)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Councillor conduct and standards 12-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate how the Council dealt with complaints about the conduct of a councillor. It is unlikely he would find evidence of fault by the Council. He is already investigating how the Council dealt with the planning application to which the complaint about the councillor relates.

Bristol City Council (19 006 974)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council wrongly preventing his company from submitting a tender for a CCTV contract in March 2018. He says the Council offered the contract to a company which had already exceeded the EU threshold for tenders for work. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. There is insufficient evidence of fault which has caused injustice to Mr X.

London Borough of Enfield (19 017 319)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains about how the Council has dealt with her personal injury claim. The Ombudsman will not investigate as it is reasonable to expect Mrs X to take court action. The complaint is therefore outside the Ombudsman’s legal remit.

Leeds City Council (19 017 785)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Councillor conduct and standards 10-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms B complains about the Council’s decision to treat her complaint about a councillor as invalid. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Isle of Wight Council (19 017 578)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Land 09-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council has refused to take legal ownership of trees which are causing a nuisance to his garden. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because the courts are best placed to determine the matter.

Kent County Council (19 009 603)

Statement Upheld Leisure and culture 06-Mar-2020

Summary: The Council did not explain its reasons for refusing Ms B access to an adult education course. The Council will apologise and facilitate Ms B to re-sit the exam or take the course elsewhere, should she wish.