North Somerset Council (25 012 973)
Category : Environment and regulation > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 29 Jan 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to Miss X’s multiple reports of dangerous dogs in the local area. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
The complaint
- Miss X complained the Council failed to act on multiple reports she made regarding dangerous dogs in the area.
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.
(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 to the Council after she and her service animal were attacked by a dog in her local area. She said she made several reports to the Council of dangerous dogs in the area and the Council did not act on them.
- The Council confirmed it undertook monthly patrols following Miss X’s reports of dangerous dogs of different breeds in the area. The Council invited Miss X to provide details of the owner of the dog so it could follow up the incident and gave her advice regarding local areas that were safer to walk in.
- Miss X remains unhappy and wants us to find the Council at fault. The evidence shows the Council has taken proportionate action to address the reports Miss X has made. The Council has responded to Miss X’s complaint in the manner we would expect. It would not be reasonable to criticise the Council for its management of this matter. An investigation into this complaint would be unlikely to result in a finding of fault with the Council’s actions.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman