Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s temporary road signage. The complainant has not suffered a significant personal injustice because of the alleged fault.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council failed to follow regulations when erecting signs for the temporary suspension of a disabled parking bay.
2. He says this affects people using the parking bays, particularly disabled users because of the difficulty identifying the parking bay which is closed.

Back to top

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:

• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s signage. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. Mr X does not claim any significant personal injustice from the issues raised in his complaint and as such we will not investigate the matter further.

Back to top

Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he has not suffered a significant personal injustice.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman