Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (25 015 656)
Category : Planning > Planning applications
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 09 Mar 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a telegraph pole. The complaint is late without good enough reason for us to investigate it now.
The complaint
- Mr X complains the Council took no action and was unwilling to address objections raised about the installation of a telegraph pole by a telecommunications company.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate. 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 and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- A telecommunications company installed a pole near to Mr X’s property in 2023. Mr X said that there was no consultation with residents or assessment of impact on the local area.
- I note that Mr X has some mental health conditions which he feels are negatively impacted by the location of the pole.
- Mr X raised his concerns with the telecommunications company in October 2023 and the Council in December 2023. The Council told Mr X by September 2024 it did not have to grant planning permission for the pole. Mr X did not complain to us until October 2025.
- I am mindful of Mr X’s health conditions and that it seemingly took him some time to find out the Council’s position was that it could not control the telegraph pole’s location. However, I do not consider those are good enough reasons for such delay in complaining to us about this matter. Mr X was able to pursue the matter with the telecommunications company and the Council within 12 months of knowing of the matter. He could reasonably have complained to us sooner.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late without good enough reason to investigate it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman