Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about an increase in her annual council tax. This is because we cannot investigate complaints which affect all or most of the population in a council’s area.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall call Mrs X, complains about an increase in her annual council tax bill. Mrs X thinks the Council should be reducing bills due to decreased expenditure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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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 something that affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered Mrs X’s complaint to the Ombudsman and the information she provided. I also gave Mrs X the opportunity to comment on a draft statement before reaching a final decision on her complaint.

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What I found

5. The issue at the heart of Mrs X’s complaint affects all or most of the population in the Council’s area. The exception at paragraph 3 therefore applies and we have no jurisdiction to consider Mrs X’s complaint.

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Final decision

6. We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint. This is because we cannot investigate complaints which affect all or most of the population in a council’s area.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman