Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about an application for a dropped kerb. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by a council acting as a social landlord.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council did not grant his application for a dropped kerb.
2. Mr X said the Council had not considered the environment or Government policy.
3. Mr X wants the Council to approve his application for a dropped kerb.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
5. We cannot investigate complaints about the provision or management of social housing by a council acting as a registered social housing provider. (Local Government Act 1974, paragraph 5A schedule 5, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Mr X complained that the Council had not considered the environmental impact of allowing him to charge electric vehicles at this property. He said the Council did not consider Government policy.
9. The Council completed a complaint investigation and referred the complaint to a housing panel. No fault was found in these actions with the evidence provided.
10. Mr X is a council tenant. The application for a dropped kerb is on a road that is unadopted with the Council acting as social landlord.
11. We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint because it concerns the actions of the Council in its role as a manager of social housing. The law says we cannot investigate such matters.

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Final decision

12. We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is not within our remit to investigate the Council acting from its role as a social housing provider.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman