Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about special educational needs provision for her adult son, Mr Y. The last correspondence with the Council was more than 12 months ago and there is no good reason to investigate the matters complained of now.

The complaint

1. Mrs X said the Council failed to meet her adult son, Mr Y’s special educational needs.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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

3. I read the complaint correspondence. I gave Mrs X an opportunity to comment on a draft decision.

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What I found

4. The complaint correspondence supplied by the Council ends in October 2019. I have seen no evidence explaining why Mrs X did not approach us for 14 months.

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate matters more than 12 months old.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman