Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to approve a planning application to change an agricultural field to a Gypsy and Traveller site. We have seen no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered the application.

The complaint

1. I shall refer to the complainant as Mr B.
2. Mr B says the Council failed to follow national and local planning policy when it approved a planning application to change an agricultural field to a Gypsy and Traveller site.
3. He also says the planning meeting was not procedurally correct or transparent.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A (6))

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by Mr B and the Council. I have read the committee report and listened to a recording of the planning meeting.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. I will not investigate this complaint. It is the Council’s role as local planning authority to reach a judgement about whether a development is acceptable after:
• consideration of local and national planning policies
• comments from statutory consultees; and
• objections/representations from people affected by the decision
8. From the information I have seen I am satisfied this is what has happened in this case. I have listened to the recording of the planning meeting and heard nothing to suggest fault in the way the application was considered.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because the evidence suggests it is unlikely we will find fault in the way the Council considered the application before granting planning permission.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman