Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about road signage because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

The complaint

1. Mr Y complained about incorrect placement of road signs. He said the signs direct drivers in wrong directions.
2. Mr Y also complained about the Authority’s handling of his complaint. He says this caused him lengthy frustration.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. 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/care provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended).
5. 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. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by Mr Y and the Authority.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Mr Y raised concerns to the Authority about incorrect road signage in April 2024. There were delays in the Authority's responses, and in taking action to address these. The Authority apologised to Mr Y.
9. We expect a person to complain to us within 12 months of being aware of a matter and Mr Y did not raise his complaint with us until November 2025. Therefore, we will not investigate this complaint because it is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
10. Even if the complaint was not late, I do not consider Mr Y was caused a significant personal injustice that would warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.
11. Mr Y has also complained about the Council’s complaint handling. It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures, if we are unable to deal with the substantive issue.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman