Buckinghamshire Council (21 010 867)
Category : Planning > Planning applications
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 03 Dec 2021
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a planning application. It was made by a parish council on behalf of a resident. We do not consider the parish council is a suitable representative because there is a potential conflict of interest.
The complaint
- A parish council complained to us about how the Council dealt with a planning application. It made the complaint on behalf of a former local resident who I refer to here as Mr X.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We may decide not to start an investigation of any complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the parish council has been involved in the Council’s consideration of the planning consideration. By law, the parish council could not complain to us in its own right because it is a public body. I do not consider it is suitable to represent Mr X in his complaint because there is a potential conflict of interest.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman