Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled his application for a parking permit. We would not be able to achieve a worthwhile outcome by investigating this complaint.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council did not offer a secure method of payment when he tried to renew his parking permit. He also complained about the way the Council handled his complaint. He wants the Council to apologise and pay compensation to him for his time and trouble. He also wants the Council to improve the permit process, so others do not experience the same issues.

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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 or continue an investigation if we decide:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X contacted the Council after he tried to pay for a parking permit on its website. He said the website wasn’t working and so he could not pay to renew his permit.
6. The Council responded to Mr X with alternative ways he could pay. Mr X said the alternatives it offered were not suitable because they were not secure methods of payment.
7. Mr X complained to the Council. The Council told Mr X it had investigated his concerns about the website and found there were no other reported issues with the website at the time Mr X complained about. It said it had now accepted a payment from him and applied it to his account.
8. Mr X then complained to us. He said the Council had not satisfactorily addressed his complaint.
9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council does not offer a secure method of payment. The Council offered Mr X alternative methods of payment. It explained to him how it ensures its payment methods are secure and comply with its statutory duties. We could not tell the Council which payment methods it must accept and so further investigation by us would not lead to a worthwhile outcome.
10. Nor will we investigate Mr X’s complaint he struggled to pay for his permit, causing delay. Mr X paid the Council through bank transfer, after the Council told him it would not accept this. Nonetheless, the Council accepted Mr X’s payment, applied it to his account and renewed his parking permit. Therefore, further investigation into this matter would not lead to a different outcome.
11. We will not investigate how the Council handled Mr X’s complaint. It is not a good use of resources to investigate complaints handling when we are not considering the substantive matter.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman