Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council’s officer spoke to Mr X during telephone call in 2024. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons to investigate now.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the way an officer from the Council spoke to him in 2024. Mr X says the officer was rude and this upset him. He wants the Council to contact him to sort the issue out as he is finding it difficult to cope.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X contacted the Council in September 2025 but only provided brief information about the telephone call he said happened in September 2024.
7. The Council tried to get more information from him and asked why he did not complain sooner. He said he wanted to get the situation sorted out. The Council arranged to meet with Mr X and said it dealt with the issue as a service request.
8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late. He was aware of the issue from September 2024 and could have complained to us before now. In any case the Council has resolved the matter. There are no good reasons to investigate now.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to investigate now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman