Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council considered a complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice for an alleged parking contravention. The complainant has paid the Penalty Charge Notice. We do not consider it a good use of public funds to investigate complaints about the complaint process when we cannot investigate the substantive issue.

The complaint

1. Mr X complaint about the way the Council considered his complaint about the issuing of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which he has paid.

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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 effect 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 the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information from the complainant and the Council and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

4. We will not investigate this complaint. We consider it is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures, if we are unable to deal with the substantive issue, which in this case is the PCN.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman