Worthing Borough Council (21 016 310)

Statement Not upheld Other 23-Mar-2023

Summary: We found no fault on all of Mrs B’s complaints against the Council about it failing to take enforcement action against the owners of a neighbouring property which they adapted, changed, and intensified the use of. Nor was there fault in the way it dealt with reports of antisocial behaviour from residents.

Worcester City Council (22 015 373)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 23-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s planning policy. This is because parts of the complaint are late. It is also unlikely an investigation by the Ombudsman would achieve a worthwhile outcome.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (22 015 431)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 21-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the nature of development taking place within the Council’s area which Mr X believes is inappropriate. This is because we cannot investigate something which affects all or most of the people in a council’s area and because Mr X has not been caused any injustice sufficient to warrant an investigation.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (21 004 850)

Statement Upheld Other 20-Mar-2023

Summary: We found fault on Miss T’s complaint about the Council wrongly discharging a planning condition dealing with sound insulation and noise reduction. It only recently decided it had not discharged the condition, despite previously telling her it had and so could take no action. It also failed to keep her properly informed about progress on her reports about noise from a neighbouring business. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Vale Of White Horse District Council (22 015 660)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 08-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about having to pay the community infrastructure levy following a grant of planning permission for two new houses. This is because the complaint is late and the Valuation Office Agency is the appropriate body to determine liability for the levy.

Buckinghamshire Council (22 009 891)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 08-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s interpretation of permitted development rights. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. Only the courts can determine how the legislation should be interpreted.

Broads Authority (22 015 460)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 06-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council has offered a private mooring to a third party without seeking planning permission for a change of use. This is because the complaint is late, the Council’s actions do not cause Mr X significant injustice and we could not achieve any worthwhile outcome for Mr X.

Darlington Borough Council (22 013 077)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 02-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged flaws in a supplementary planning document which the Council put out for consultation. The complainant has not suffered sufficient injustice to warrant our involvement.

Waverley Borough Council (22 011 676)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 01-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to grant him a Community Infrastructure Levy exemption in 2021. This is because the courts are better placed to decide if Mr X made a valid application for the exemption and whether the Council complied with the relevant Regulations in dealing with the application. There is also no direct link between the fault alleged by the Council and the injustice Mr X claims.

West Devon Borough Council (22 015 053)

Statement Upheld Other 24-Feb-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about failures in the Council’s complaints handling. The Council has apologised, explained what steps it has taken to improve the way it responds to complaints and offered the complainant £100 as a gesture of goodwill. We are satisfied this is a proportionate response to the complaint and that further investigation will not lead to a different outcome.