London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (20 000 782)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 14-Jul-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of night-time roadworks close to her home. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because it is unlikely we can add to the investigation already carried out by the Council and an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

Buckinghamshire County Council (20 000 898)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 13-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s consideration of a planning application. The Council has not yet issued a decision; therefore, we do not consider Mr X has suffered a significant personal injustice which warrants an Ombudsman investigation. Also, allegations of criminal activity are a matter for the Police.

London Borough of Havering (19 014 382)

Statement Upheld Other 10-Jul-2020

Summary: Mrs B complains the Council refused her application for a dropped kerb. Mrs B says this caused her inconvenience because she cannot park outside her house. The Council was at fault because its terms and conditions for a dropped kerb were not comprehensive. The Council remedied the injustice caused by this fault during its complaints procedure.

London Borough of Hillingdon (20 000 580)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 08-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse the complainant’s application for a dropped kerb. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Merton (18 010 732)

Report Upheld Other 02-Jul-2020

Summary: Ms J complains about the actions of ‘Merton Enforcement Agents’, an enforcement service operated by the Council that acts for it and the London Borough of Sutton Council. The agents collected three debts from Ms J on behalf of the two Boroughs. Ms J complains:she could not contact an enforcement agent employed by the Council; the Council did not help when she asked for time to pay her debts; the agent discussed her debt improperly with her brother and unreasonably put pressure on him to pay her debt; the agent twice wrongly seized Ms J’s car which she says was essential to her employment as a ‘tool of the trade’; and failed to issue her the correct notices when it seized her car.

London Borough of Bromley (19 020 862)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 30-Jun-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s action to prevent damage to the highway. It is unlikely he would find evidence of fault causing the complainant significant injustice.

East Sussex County Council (19 006 599)

Statement Upheld Other 22-Jun-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council unreasonably enlarged the extent of the highway and failed to properly respond to his queries and reports. We found no fault in the approach the Council took when deciding the extent of the highway. However, there was a failure to follow up reports about unauthorised highway work. There was also some fault in the records kept by the Council. The Council should apologise and review its record keeping procedures.

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (19 020 695)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 18-Jun-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal of an application for a dropped kerb. He is unlikely to find fault in how Council considered the application and so cannot question the merits of its decision.

Durham County Council (19 021 145)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 04-Jun-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about vibrations from a road which the complainant says are damaging his home. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because there is action the complainant can take to deal with the problem.

London Borough of Havering (19 011 937)

Statement Upheld Other 26-May-2020

Summary: Miss X said the Council confiscated and retained her father’s blue badge. She said this caused him inconvenience and distress. There was fault with the Council’s actions and it has agreed with our recommendations to remedy Miss X and her father’s injustice.