Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about inaccuracies in a planning application. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to investigate now.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council has refused to make changes to a 2012 planning application which she says incorrectly states her neighbour is the owner of her land.

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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)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. Mrs X complained to the Council that a 2012 planning application made by her neighbour wrongly states they own land which belongs to her. She asked the Council to remove her property from the application but it refused due to the length of time passed. It suggested this is a civil issue.
7. This complaint is late. It relates to a planning application agreed over ten years ago. There is no good reason to look at this complaint now.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late and there is no good reason to investigate now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman