Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about changes to the layout of a highway. This is because the complaint is made late and I see no good reason to consider it now.

The complaint

1. X complains about changes to the highway made by the Council, which X says reduce visibility and have caused them to receive abuse from cyclists.

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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.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. I will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late. The changes to the highway were made in 2019 and X has known about them since at least 2023. I see no good reason why X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman