Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the handling of Mr X’s Blue Badge renewal application because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council did not respond to his Blue Badge renewal application. He says he submitted the required information and made several enquiries but did not receive a response. He wants the Council to renew his Blue Badge.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), 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 says the Council did not respond to his Blue Badge renewal application. The evidence shows Mr X applied to renew his Blue Badge in October 2025. When reviewing the application, the Council found some required documents were missing. In October 2025, it contacted Mr X and explained it needed a recent photograph, proof of identity and proof of address before it could process the application.
7. Mr X later provided further documents. The Council reviewed them and, in December 2025, explained that the photograph provided did not meet its requirements and that proof of identity was still outstanding.
8. Mr X complained that he had not received a response to his application. In response, the Council explained the steps it had taken and provided copies of its earlier correspondence. It explained why the application could not progress until the required documents had been received.
9. We are not an appeal body. Our role is to consider whether there was fault in the way the Council acted. The evidence shows the Council responded to Mr X's application, explained what information was missing, and gave him opportunities to provide it. We have not seen evidence the Council ignored the application or failed to follow its application process.
10. We will not investigate Mr X's complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman