Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a report of dangerous dogs. This is because the complaint is made late, and I see no good reason to exercise discretion and investigate it now.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about how the Council has dealt with his report of his neighbours’ dogs which he considers to be dangerous. Mr X says the Council has referred him to the RSPCS which is an inadequate response.

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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 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

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 complained to the Council who sent him a final response in 2022. Mr X asked the Ombudsman to intervene but we advised him that we would first need to see copies of the Council’s final responses. Mr X raise a new complaint in August.
7. I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because the complaint is made late, and I see no good reason why Mr X could not have come back to the Ombudsman with the Council’s' final decision sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is made late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman