Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s regeneration of a town centre. There is no worthwhile outcome achievable from us investigating.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council has not properly overseen the regeneration of a town centre. Mr X said this has affected trade and caused him distress.
2. Mr X wants the Council to start a full in-person public consultation and develop a town and high street plan that is based on income generated from council tax and business rates.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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 no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr X.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X complained that the Council has not maintained a town centre properly, and its decisions for regeneration have been flawed.
7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. We cannot instruct the Council how to use its resources. This is a matter for locally elected representatives.
8. Our role is to remedy personal significant injustice where there has been maladministration. This does not apply here.
9. Therefore, there is no worthwhile outcome achievable from us investigating.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable from us investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman