South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 011 694)
Category : Environment and regulation > Antisocial behaviour
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 04 Feb 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council failing to properly address anti-social behaviour Miss X has complained about. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
The complaint
- Miss X complained the Council has failed to act on reports she has made regarding anti-social behaviour.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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, or
- any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
- we could not add to any previous investigation by the organization.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X complained she has told the Council that one of her neighbours is deliberately sweeping their home loudly at anti-social hours. Miss X said she provided evidence of the anti-social behaviour, and the Council has failed to address it.
- The Council reviewed the evidence Miss X provided, and it did not consider the noise to be a statutory nuisance.
- The Ombudsman cannot question the merits of decision the Council has made if it has made the decision in line with the correct process. The evidence shows the Council has considered Miss X’s evidence and has found the issue is not a statutory nuisance it can take enforcement action against. There is no evidence of fault in the Council’s actions.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with Council’s actions.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman