Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council has refused to issue him with a third parking permit for the residents parking scheme where he lives. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation by the Ombudsman.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will refer to as Mr B, complains the Council has refused to issue him with a third parking permit for the residents parking scheme where he lives. Mr B says this has caused him a lot of distress and he has to park his vehicle far away to avoid penalty charge notices. Mr B also says he has spent a lot of money on visitor parking permits to park his car within the zone. Mr B would like the Council to issue him with a third parking permit which he is willing to pay for.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr B.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In response to Mr B’s complaint the Council said in the residents parking scheme where he lives, households are limited to two parking permits. The Council said it does not issue third parking permits in this parking zone and no other residents within the zone have been issued a third permit. But, the Council apologised to Mr B because in response to his query the parking team wrongly advised him to apply for a third parking permit by email.
6. The Council added that if Mr B requires parking for more than two vehicles, he will need to use the visitor parking permits and seek alternative unrestricted parking. The Council said this residents parking scheme is new and when the Council reviews the scheme in future, it may consider whether to allow third permit applications if take up of permits is low. But, the Council said, at the moment due to the kerb capacity available, there is not the option of issuing third parking permits.
7. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation by the Ombudsman.
8. The Council has considered Mr B’s request for a third parking permit and has explained its decision not to issue a third permit. The Council has explained it does not issue third permits to households within this residents parking scheme. It is for the Council to decide how to manage this residents parking scheme. It is not the role of the Ombudsman to tell the Council to operate the scheme differently by issuing more permits to households.
9. The Council has also apologised to Mr B for wrongly telling him he could apply for a third permit. This was a suitable response from the Council and further involvement by the Ombudsman is not justified.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman