Summary: We will not investigate Miss D’s complaint that the Council is taking too long to fix a streetlight outside her home. This is because an investigation is unlikely to add to the Council’s own investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss D complains the Council has failed to fix the streetlight outside her home which has been broken since autumn 2025. Miss D says the streetlight is at the end of an alleyway which is very dark and dangerous to use at night. Miss D would like the Council to fix this streetlight.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 an investigation if we decide we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation.

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

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Miss D and have viewed the area on Google maps and Streetview.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss D contacted the Council about this matter in late December 2025, before making a complaint in early February 2026.
6. The Council responded to Miss D’s complaint in February 2026. The Council said officers had recently attended the site and identified that this streetlight is affected by an underlying cable fault which requires specialist repair. The Council said it had passed the matter to its dedicated cable team for investigation and repair. The Council said the specialist nature of cable repair work and the need for coordination with utility providers can mean the repairs take longer but it had requested this work is given priority.
7. At the moment, an investigation by the Ombudsman is not justified. The information indicates the Council is dealing with this matter and intends to undertake the required cable repairs for this streetlight. The Council has explained why such repairs can take longer than straightforward lamp replacements.
8. It is unlikely an investigation by the Ombudsman at this stage would significantly add to the Council’s own response to Miss D’s complaint.
9. During the spring and summer period Miss D should be less affected by this issue and she may choose not to use the alleyway at night until this streetlight is repaired.
10. If there is further delay by the Council, particularly moving into the late summer and autumn period, Miss D may complain to us again. But, as it stands, our involvement is not justified.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Miss D’s complaint because an investigation would not add to the Council’s own investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman