Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Authority’s handling of Mr X’s ULEZ Van and Minibus Scrappage Scheme applications. The complaint is late, and it was reasonable to expect Mr X to have complained to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Authority wrongly rejected four scrappage applications he made in 2023 and 2024.
2. Mr X said this caused distress.
3. Mr X wants the Authority to apologise, treat his application like the scrappage scheme was still available and properly consider his complaint about the matter.

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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 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 an organisation has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by Mr X.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. The 12-month period runs from the day the person affected had notice of the matters alleged in the complaint i.e. the actions complained about.
9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. The complaint is late, and it was reasonable to expect Mr X to have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the complaint is late, and it was reasonable to expect him to have complained to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman