Bedford Borough Council (24 004 830)

Statement Upheld Commercial and contracts 17-Jan-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains that the Council unfairly rejected her tender for an event. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council reached its decision to award the contract to another company. The Council is at fault as it delayed in notifying Mrs X of the outcome of the tender exercise which caused uncertainty to her. The Council has appropriately remedied this injustice by apologising to Mrs X.

St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council (24 011 934)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 05-Dec-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint the Council delayed paying early years providers for commissioned places. That is because there is no good reason the complainant cannot take the matter to court.

North Somerset Council (24 011 654)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 05-Dec-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about invoices raised by the Council to collect a business levy. If Mr X disputes his liability for the charges, it is reasonable for him to take the matter to court.

Exeter City Council (24 012 271)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 04-Dec-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a business premises he rents from the Council and financial losses he has incurred. There is insufficient evidence of fault and if Mr X considers the Council negligent and liable for his financial losses, it is reasonable for him to pursue this through the courts.

London Borough of Enfield (24 013 242)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 07-Nov-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council pursuing him for repayment of a COVID-19 business grant. This is because the complaint is late and the Council has passed the case to a government department which has made its own decision to take action against Mr X. We have no jurisdiction over the department and cannot say the Council must accept he is eligible for the grant. We cannot therefore achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (24 008 917)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 21-Oct-2024

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about the decisions of the Police and Crime Commissioner relating to the disposal of residential properties. This is because those decisions affect all or most of the people who live in the Authority’s area. In any case, we would not investigate because there is no evidence the Authority’s actions have caused Mr X a significant injustice.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (24 005 646)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 15-Sep-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the presence of asbestos and damage to a business premises that the complainant leases from the Council. This is because the issues raised are better considered by the courts.

London Borough of Croydon (23 019 545)

Statement Upheld Commercial and contracts 20-Aug-2024

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council had failed to take effective action to stop a resident blocking access to his garage. It had also failed to respond to his communications about the problems or refund the garage rent despite promising to do so. We have found fault in the Council’s actions causing Mr B an injustice. The Council has taken action to stop the anti-social behaviour, to refund the past rent to Mr B and freeze ongoing payments. It has also agreed to apologise to him, make a symbolic payment of £300 and improve its record-keeping for the future

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 005 006)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 19-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council set annual rent for a carpark. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision to justify our involvement.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (24 004 900)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Commercial and contracts 14-Aug-2024

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s increase of its licence fee for renting space at a business centre. This is because the issue is not subject to investigation under the Local Government Act 1974. It is in any event a dispute over whether the Council’s actions breach the licence agreement, which is a matter for the courts.