Portsmouth City Council (20 011 386)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 16-Mar-2021

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to protect registered rights of way which benefitted her property when it sold adjacent property to a developer. We will not investigate the complaint because it is a late complaint and because Ms X has a legal remedy against the Council which we would reasonably expect her to use.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (20 005 891)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 09-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council closed a right of way without following proper procedures and with no good reason. The Ombudsman decided not to investigate the complaint as the injustice caused to Mrs X is not so great that the Ombudsman would be likely to recommend a remedy.

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (20 010 844)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 03-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of matters related to the recording of a footpath in the Definitive Map. We will not investigate the complaint because it falls outside our jurisdiction as the Planning Inspectorate is the body charged with determining its route.

Staffordshire County Council (20 012 641)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 24-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr X complains the Council is failing to uphold legal rights of way for pedestrian use only over a footpath by his property. We will not investigate the complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (20 005 803)

Statement Upheld Rights of way 03-Feb-2021

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of her request to modify the Definitive Map to include some paths she uses regularly as public rights of way. The Council delayed responding to Ms X’s application and failed to tell her about her right to appeal its decision to the Secretary of State. The Council should apologise, make a new decision giving appeal rights and pay Ms X £150.

Hertfordshire County Council (20 008 753)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 29-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a disputed bridleway. This is because it is unlikely further investigation will lead to a different outcome and there are other bodies better placed to consider this complaint.

Gloucestershire County Council (20 008 343)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 22-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s advice to the local planning authority about an application which affects his property. We should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Nottinghamshire County Council (20 000 236)

Statement Upheld Rights of way 15-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr B complains the Council did not take action to prevent an Academy School closing a footpath used by parents to access an Infant School. We uphold the complaint finding the Council did not properly consider the impact of the closure on users of the path when it decided not to take legal action against the Academy. We also its reply to Mr B’s complaint was misleading. These faults caused Mr B injustice. Because it is uncertain if the Council would have taken the same approach but for its fault and he was put to unnecessary time and trouble in this matter. The Council accepts these findings and at the end of this statement we set out action it has agreed to remedy this injustice.

Staffordshire County Council (20 008 762)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 13-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to protect her property from theft and damage by users of a public right of way. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault by the Council.

Cornwall Council (20 008 051)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Rights of way 12-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained about the Council’s failure to remove a right of way on their property from its definitive map. We should not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.