Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to remove a parking area. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to consider it now.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council removed a parking area in 2019. He said it did not provide an adequate replacement parking area.
2. He said he frequently has no lawful place to park and either has had to risk receiving Parking Charge Notices (PCN) or risk vehicle damage.
3. He wants the Council to provide a statement of its position to residents confirming where permit holders can park and provide redress for the time, trouble and financial loss suffered.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
5. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

8. Mr X complained to the Council about parking provision due to its removal of parking spaces. The Council declined Mr X’s complaint.
9. In its response the Council said the matters Mr X complained of related to consultation activity and parking arrangements decided and implemented in 2018-2019. It said it had previously considered Mr X’s complaint and apologised for miscommunications with residents.
10. We will not investigate this complaint. Mr X became aware of the parking changes and availability between 2018-2019. The Council previously responded to Mr X’s complaint, but Mr X did not complain to us until 2025. Therefore, this complaint is late, and I there are no good reasons to consider it now.
11. In addition, the more time passes between the events and a complaint, the more unlikely it is we can investigate them effectively, gather reliable evidence and reach a sound decision. In older cases we also may not be able to achieve a meaningful remedy because too many circumstances have changed. We are often unable to be able to show why events occurred or understand who was responsible.

Back to top

Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman