Memorial safety in cemeteries This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who believe that there has been some fault in the way the council has gone about laying memorials flat and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. When I made my yearly visit to my mother's grave I was shocked to find the memorial laid flat and a notice telling me to contact the council. Can the Ombudsman h ...

Industrial Action This factsheet is aimed primarily at people who have suffered a loss of service because of industrial (strike) action and who are thinking about making a complaint to us, or who have already registered a complaint. What is industrial action? For the purposes of this factsheet, we have used the term ‘industrial action’ to refer to workers going on strike due to disputes with thei ...

Trading standards This fact sheet is aimed primarily at anyone who is dissatisfied with the way a council’s trading standards office has dealt with their complaint about a trader, or the way in which a council has carried out its investigative, monitoring and enforcement work, and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. A local trader has broken consumer protection law and I have ...

Moving traffic offences This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about a penalty charge notice (PCN) issued by enforcing authorities and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have received a penalty charge notice for a moving traffic offence. Can the Ombudsman help me? Transport for London (TfL) and councils both inside and outside London may enforce ...

Delayed entry for summer-born children This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents of summer-born children who want to complain to the Ombudsman about a decision by a council or other admission authority to refuse their request to delay their child’s entry to reception until compulsory school age. A summer-born child is one with a birthday between 1 April and 31 August inclusive. Background The ...

Commissioner and senior staff profiles The Commission Picture Member biography Amerdeep Clarke Amerdeep Clarke Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman & Chair of the Commission Amerdeep joined us in February 2024, taking on the role of Ombudsman alongside her positions as Board Chair of the Law Society and as a Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (not currently sitting). Amerdeep brin ...

Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing This fact sheet is aimed at people who are concerned that the council is not taking appropriate action over issues relating to taxis and private hire vehicles and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am unhappy with the way the council has handled my concerns about taxi or private hire vehicle licensing. Can the Ombudsman help me? We ca ...

School admissions This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents and carers of children who have not been offered a place at their preferred school and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. (If your concerns are about infant class size, see our fact sheet on infant class size appeals). My child did not get a place at the school we applied to. Can I complain to the Ombudsman? ...

Possessions in council storage This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have experienced problems with the way the council has looked after their possessions while dealing with their homelessness application and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The council did not look after my possessions properly when it accepted me as homeless. Can the Ombudsman help me? In m ...

Parking enforcement This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about a penalty charge notice (PCN) that was issued by a council in relation to a parking contravention and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have received a penalty charge notice relating to a parking contravention. Can the Ombudsman help me? Most councils in England operate what is kno ...