Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about restrictions that the Council placed on his contact. This is because his complaint is made late.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about restrictions that the Council placed on his contact.

Back to top

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)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

6. The Council placed restrictions on Mr X’s contact in 2022 under its Managing Customer Behaviour Protocol.
7. I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is made late. I see no good reason why Mr X could not have complained to the Ombudsman about this at the time.

Back to top

Final decision

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

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman