Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council failing to act on the remedies it agreed to provide following his complaint. This is because further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council has failed to act on the remedies it agreed to provide following his complaint. Mr X says this has caused him financial hardship and stress. He wants the Council to provide the money it agreed to and an additional payment in acknowledgement of the stress and delay.

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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))

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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 complained to the Council that, although he was eligible for a parking permit, it did not issue one. He said this led to parking charge notices, meant he paid a neighbour to park at their address, and caused him avoidable time and trouble in contacting the Council.
6. The Council upheld some of the complaint and said:
• his property was incorrectly referred to as a new build, and he was incorrectly told there was a restriction stopping him from getting a parking permit;
• the error did not prevent Mr X was successfully parking in other available parking spaces or from following the parking rules of the area;
• it did not accept responsibility for the fines, but said the error prevented him from obtaining a permit and offered him £500 in recognition of the impact caused and delay in the complaints handling; and
• it was aware Mr X said he had spent money on renting a car space and asked him to send invoices between May and July 2024 for review.
7. The Council has accepted fault because an error prevented Mr X from applying for a parking permit. However, it was not responsible for the parking fines. Mr X knew he did not have a permit, so it was open to him to park elsewhere. The Council has now paid the agreed £500, £50 for a parking rental charge, and £376.62 for 46 parking receipts. This is a proportionate remedy for the fault and the injustice caused. Further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman