Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a penalty charge notice. This is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council issued him a penalty charge notice (PCN) and failed to acknowledge his appeal, which caused the charge to increase. Mr X said this caused emotional distress to him and his family and he wants the Council to cancel the PCN.

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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 (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

no bullets needed when we’re just using one of them

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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. The Council issued a PCN to Mr X and Mr X made an informal challenge to the Council regarding the PCN shortly after.
6. The Council declined Mr X’s challenge in November 2025. In December 2025 it informed Mr X that payment had still not been received and the full amount was now due.
7. Mr X made formal representations to challenge the PCN to the Council in December 2025.
8. In March 2026 the Council cancelled the PCN as it had not responded to Mr X’s representations within the legal time frame. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate X’s complaint because the PCN has now been cancelled and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman