Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (25 027 680)
Category : Transport and highways > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 14 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council not removing flags in his local area. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and any personal injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.
The complaint
- Mr X complained about the Council not removing flags which members of the public have put up in his local area. Mr X said the flags are portraying discrimination. He said the matter has caused him distress. He wants the Council to remove the flags and to provide him with an apology for not doing so in response to his concerns.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:
- there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
- any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X said members of the public have put up flags in his local area and their intentions have been discriminatory.
- In response to Mr X’s complaint, the Council said in line with its policy, it does not remove flags which members of the public have put up unless they breach legal or safety requirements. It therefore told Mr X it would not remove the flags.
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. There is no general duty placed on councils to remove flags. Furthermore, we recognise the matter has caused some injustice to Mr X however, it is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and any personal injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman