Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 26-May-2021
Summary: Miss B complained the Council breached disability discrimination law and human rights law when it installed public litter bins that are not accessible for use by disabled people, small adults and children. She considered the Council had not properly considered its responsibilities under the relevant law. She cannot use the bins but she also considers there is a wider injustice to others who will be similarly affected. There was fault which caused injustice to Miss B.
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (20 008 575)
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 05-May-2021
Summary: Mrs X complained about high levels of light intrusion into her property after the Council replaced two street lights outside her home. We found fault with how the Council considered the light falling on Mrs X's property. The Council agreed to reassess the light falling on Mrs X's property from the street lights and to review how it approaches these assessments in future. This was a suitable remedy so we completed our investigation.
South Gloucestershire Council (20 009 188)
Statement Not upheld Street furniture and lighting 28-Apr-2021
Summary: The Ombudsman found no fault by the Council on Mr Y's complaint about it failing to properly consider the impact of light spillage on to his property when it replaced a nearby street sodium lantern with an LED one. The Council responded and acted on his concerns. It visited and took light meter readings which show levels to his property within guidance target levels.
Milton Keynes Council (20 003 043)
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 04-Mar-2021
Summary: The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for not providing sufficient information about repairs to streetlights. The Ombudsman also finds fault with the Council for its complaint handling. The Council has agreed to apologise to the complainant and pay a financial remedy for his time and trouble. The Council has also agreed to provide regular updates to residents for repairs.
Transport for London (19 016 970)
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 21-Dec-2020
Summary: Mr X complains about the location of a bus stop and shelter outside his home and disturbance from people waiting there. He has asked both the London Borough of Lambeth and Transport for London to move the bus stop away from his home. The Ombudsman has found no fault on the part of Lambeth but considers that TfL failed to respond properly to Mr X's request. TfL has agreed to apologise and pay Mr X £200 for his time and trouble and frustration and remind officers of the correct procedures. The Ombudsman has found no fault in their joint decision not to move the bus stop.
Bristol City Council (19 016 938)
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 10-Nov-2020
Summary: Mr B complains at the Council's response to enquiries he made about it replacing a collapsed road sign. We uphold the complaint finding failings in the information given to Mr B by the Council through its 'Fix My Street' online reporting tool. It was also at fault for its complaint responses. This caused Mr B injustice as he experienced unnecessary time, trouble and frustration. The Council accepts these findings. At the end of this statement we set out the steps it has taken to learn lessons from this complaint and what action it has agreed to remedy Mr B's injustice.
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 09-Nov-2020
Summary: Mrs X complained about high levels of light intrusion into her property after the Council completed road improvements at a junction behind her house. She said glow from the street lights had affected her sleep. The Council did not assess the level of light intrusion at Mrs X property following her complaint. That was fault. The Council has offered to complete a lighting level test. That remedies any injustice caused.
Norfolk County Council (20 000 671)
Statement Not upheld Street furniture and lighting 09-Oct-2020
Summary: Mr C says the Council misled him about the location of a bus stop when it published a traffic regulation order and did not consult him directly. There is no fault in how the Council handled the traffic regulation order process.
Cumbria County Council (19 015 287)
Statement Upheld Street furniture and lighting 25-Sep-2020
Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to take account of her mother, Mrs Y's, mobility and access when it decided to place barriers on the path to the rear of Mrs Y's property. The Council was not at fault for installing the barriers. It failed to respond to Mrs Y's solicitor's letter and delayed responding to Miss X's complaint. It has agreed to apologise to Miss X and Mrs Y for the frustration this caused.
Bracknell Forest Council (19 018 296)
Statement Not upheld Street furniture and lighting 03-Sep-2020
Summary: Mr X complains about the information the Council provided about the upgrades of streetlights to LED lights. He says the Council misled him and did not tell him the lighting system would use the existing 3G/4G network to operate. He also complains the lamppost was still sending out wireless signals despite the Council removing the wireless transmitter. The Ombudsman does not find fault with the Council's actions.