Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s provision of parking enforcement services and other Council functions which Mr X says is inefficient and poor value for money. We cannot investigate something which affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. This includes how services are resourced through the council tax levy.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained about the Council’s parking enforcement service and about other services and policy decisions which he says are inefficient and a waste of public money. He says the enforcement of parking permits should be properly carried out and any breaches of parking restrictions should incur penalties so that permit holders are not inconvenienced by unauthorised parking.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We cannot investigate something that affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council’s response.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X says the Council is failing to provide an efficient parking enforcement service throughout the city. He says he is a permit holder and that he has complained about inconsiderate parking by vehicle owners who do not have a permit but the Council’s response has been poor. He has also raised the case of similar parking offences in other areas and says the parking service is not fit for purpose. He also complained about other Council projects which he considers to be poor sue of public resources.
6. We will not investigate this complaint which concerns the operation of a council function in its area. The Council must decide how to allocate its limited resources through its annual budget which is decided by the Council’s cabinet. Parking enforcement is not a reactive service and the authority has to spread its enforcement resources over the whole city so that different areas are not under resourced at the expense of others. This means that not every parking offence can be observed and acted on by its officers.
7. We cannot investigate something that affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. This applies to Mr X’s complaint and we will not consider it further.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s provision of parking enforcement services and other Council functions which Mr X says is inefficient and poor value for money. We cannot investigate something which affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. This includes how services are resourced through the council tax levy.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman