Worcestershire County Council (25 025 965)
Category : Transport and highways > Highway repair and maintenance
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 28 Jun 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council does not maintain a strip of land next to Miss X’s property. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons to investigate the complaint now.
The complaint
- Miss X is unhappy with the Council’s handling of her complaint about a strip of land next to her home. Miss X says the issue has continued since 2017. Miss X wants action taken to resolve the issue for all parties.
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
- Miss X complained to the Council in 2024 about its failure to maintain a strip of land on a service area next to her home. The Council responded to Miss X and said an officer visited the location on 16 August 2024 and found no safety issues. It agreed to oversee this as part of its routine inspection programme.
- The law says people should normally complain to us within 12 months of becoming aware of an issue. Complaints brought to the Ombudsman more than 12 months after someone becomes aware of something a council has done are considered late. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons.
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late. Miss X told us the issue has been ongoing since 2017. The Council reported back to Miss X that no safety issues were present after a site visit in August 2024. Miss X did not complain to us until February 2026. There is no good reason for Miss X not to have complained sooner.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to investigate the complaint now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman