Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice for an alleged parking contravention. Further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council wrongly issued him with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and did not properly consider his representations about it.
2. Mr X said this caused him distress and he sought a financial remedy.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X said the Council wrongly issued him with a PCN and did not consider his representations about it.
7. In its complaint response, the Council apologised and agreed to cancel the PCN.
8. The Council said it would not offer any compensation, as Mr X had sought.
9. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome. Any injustice caused by the PCN appears to have been sufficiently remedied by the Council’s cancellation of the PCN and apologies.
10. We would not achieve a different outcome and therefore we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman