Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the provision of a temporary parking permit. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. The complainant, Mr X, complains the road the Council has nominated for his parking permit is unsuitable. Mr X wants the Council to change or enlarge the area where he can use the permit.

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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 X. This includes the complaint correspondence. I also considered our Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X lives in a building where the residents are not eligible for parking permits.
5. The building is having essential repairs done and the residents cannot use the private parking. The Council liaised with the building managers and decided to provide temporary parking permits while the private parking cannot be used.
6. The Council issued Mr X with a temporary permit to park in road A. Mr X says road A is unsuitable. He complained to the Council and asked for a permit which would allow him to park elsewhere.
7. In response, the Council explained why it had issued temporary permits and said that, while it appreciates Mr X would like a permit that covers a different street, it must balance the needs of temporary permit holders with the needs of residents with a permanent permit. The Council said it would not change the validity of Mr X’s temporary permit.
8. Mr X remains of the view that the Council should offer a permit for a different street and he disagrees with the reasons given by the Council for not changing the location.
9. I will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. The Council acted appropriately by issuing a temporary permit and considering Mr X’s for a different location. But it is not required to agree to every request made by a resident. We are not an appeal body and we cannot intervene simply because a council makes a decision that someone disagrees with.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman