Huntingdonshire District Council (19 013 541)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 12-Aug-2020

Summary: Miss B complains about the Council’s lack of litter picking before it cuts grass near her home. She says the Council cuts the litter into even smaller pieces further polluting the environment and making it dangerous for residents. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because an investigation is unlikely to find fault causing Miss B a significance personal injustice.

London Borough of Bexley (20 001 843)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 07-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about damage to his road caused by the Council’s refuse and recycling collection vehicles. This is because it would be reasonable for him to take the matter to court.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (18 018 026)

Statement Upheld Other 07-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr N and his neighbours complain about the Council’s lack of planning enforcement, or environmental nuisance action, to deal with vibrations from a factory. The Ombudsman’s decision is there is some evidence of fault, in an avoidable delay. But the Council has taken adequate action in commissioning two independent reports. The reports did not find grounds for the Council to take enforcement action. So we find no fault in the decisions on enforcement.

Pendle Borough Council (19 011 340)

Statement Not upheld Other 06-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to properly investigate his complaint about water entering the sub-floor of his property, which he said was caused by defects to his neighbour’s property. The Council was not at fault. It carried out an investigation in line with relevant legislation and decided the matter was not a statutory nuisance.

Ashfield District Council (20 000 909)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 28-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s hygiene score of his food retail business which has caused him financial loss and inconvenience. The Ombudsman will not investigate as it is unlikely he would find fault by the Council.

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (19 013 171)

Statement Upheld Other 27-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr C complains the Council is failing to properly enforce the law around on-street car sales, nuisance parking and abandoned vehicles. Mr C says he suffers from nuisance parking and is frustrated by the Council’s approach and has spent unnecessary time and trouble. The Ombudsman has found fault by the Council in its record keeping and communication but considers the agreed action of an apology, improved record keeping and a period of further monitoring are enough to provide a suitable remedy for Mr C.

Reading Borough Council (19 018 089)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 27-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council has failed to properly investigate his complaints about noise nuisance caused by his neighbour repairing cars, over the last eight years. The Ombudsman will not investigate as some of Mr X’s complaint is made late, and as the noise nuisance has ceased, he can achieve no meaningful outcome for Mr X.

Swindon Borough Council (20 000 290)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr and Ms X complain the Council has failed to deal with intrusive vegetation from its land which has damaged their property. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because the complainants have the right to challenge through the courts the Council’s decision that it is not responsible.

North Somerset Council (19 014 486)

Statement Not upheld Other 08-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr D complains the Council failed to assist with issues over a sewage system. The Ombudsman has not found evidence of fault by the Council. He has completed the investigation and not upheld the complaint.

Halton Borough Council (19 020 119)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 06-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the fees the Council charged for seizing her dog. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.