Bristol City Council (25 010 985)
Category : Other Categories > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 12 Nov 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with his request for information. This is because the Information Commissioner is better placed to consider the matter.
The complaint
- Mr X complains that the Council has failed to properly respond to his request for information relating to a breach of planning regulations in 2021.
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 another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
- 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with his request for information. This is because the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is better placed to consider the matter. It is the appropriate body to review complaints about data protection, including how bodies respond to requests for information and requests to rectify records under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
- I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a breach of planning control. This element of his complaint is made late, and I see no good reason why he could not have complained to us sooner.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the ICO is better placed to consider it.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman