Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s LED streetlighting. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I refer to as Ms X, says she cannot leave her house at night without newly installed Council LED streetlights hurting her eyes and damaging them. She wants the lighting removed.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Ms X, including the Council’s response to her complaint.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X complained to the Council about a newly installed LED streetlight outside her home and about the Council’s use of LED lighting generally.
6. The Council did not uphold her complaint and explained it was undertaking an LED conversion project for all streetlighting within its area and that in doing so it had followed the correct procedures and national guidelines in installing the new lights.
7. In addressing Ms X’s concerns about the light close to her home, the Council installed a shield which Ms X says has improved her situation slightly.
8. We do not investigate every complaint we received and while Ms X is unfortunately affected by the new lights, there is no evidence to suggest there has been fault by the Council in the way it has dealt with this matter.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman