Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to renew the complainant’s Blue Badge. This is because the Council has offered to do a further assessment and there is nothing more we could achieve.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, disagrees with the Council’s decision not to renew his Blue Badge.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if we believe:

• it is unlikely we could add to any previous investigation by the Council, or
• it is unlikely further investigation will lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I read the complaint and got some information from the Council. This includes an offer from the Council to do another assessment. I invited Mr X to comment on a draft of this decision.

Back to top

What I found

What happened

4. Mr X applied to renew his Blue Badge. He provided supporting medical evidence and had a telephone assessment. The Council decided Mr X no longer qualifies for a badge and decided not to renew it.
5. Mr X disagrees with the decision. He says his condition has not changed since he last renewed the badge. He is worried that when he stops working from home he will struggle to get to work because he will no longer be able to park in the office car park. He wants the Council to renew his badge.
6. In response to my request for information, the Council said it will contact Mr X to offer a re-assessment. Due to COVID-19 this will be by phone. If needed, when circumstances allow, the Council would consider arranging a face to face appointment if it has not changed its decision following the new phone assessment.

Assessment

7. We have no power to award a Blue Badge. If we find fault by a council then we usually ask a council to do a reassessment. The Council has offered to re-assess Mr X’s application. It will be for the Council, not us, to decide if Mr X qualifies for a badge, following the further assessment. I will not start an investigation because there is nothing more that we could achieve for Mr X.

Back to top

Final decision

8. I will not start an investigation because the Council has offered to re-assess the renewal application.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman