Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s funding of and involvement in the delivery of various projects. The complaint is late and I can see no good reason why Mr X did not complain earlier.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained about the Council’s actions between 2016 and 2018 in relation to how it funded and was involved with various projects. Mr X says these included data leaks and misrepresentations, contractual non-performance, damage to works, financial irregularities and the actions of specific Council officers.
2. Mr X also complains the Council failed to properly investigate his complaints.
3. Mr X says the Council’s actions have caused reputational damage and unnecessary costs.
4. He wants an apology, compensation and an independent investigation.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

5. 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 has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. The law says someone should complain within 12 months of becoming aware of the matters they are complaining about. Mr X has been aware of the issues in paragraph 1 for considerably longer than 12 months. I can see no good reason to exercise discretion and investigate now.
9. Where we are not investigating the substantive matters, we do not consider it good use of resources to investigate how the Council handled the complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and I can see no good reason to exercise discretion and investigate now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman