Brighton & Hove City Council (21 004 638)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 24 Aug 2021
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council does not provide enough parking for residents. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant wants.
The complaint
- The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, complains the Council does not provide enough parking for residents.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Ombudsman investigates 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 cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes the complaint correspondence. I considered our Assessment Code and invited Mr X to comment on a draft of this decision.
My assessment
- Mr X says the Council does not provide enough parking for residents. He says the number of people on the waiting list for a parking permit in his zone is unacceptable and he disagrees with the terms of use for a nearby car park. Mr X complains that his girlfriend, a key worker, cannot park close to his home. Mr X says the Council must provide adequate parking for residents.
- The Council ended its consideration of Mr X’s complaint in June 2020. It said it is correct that he can claim 25 visitor permits a year and it explained the other parking options that are available.
- I will not start an investigation because we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants. We investigate complaints that relate to a specific fault. But, we have no power to tell a council it must provide more parking or to change the way it operates the permit system or car parks. If Mr X thinks the Council should provide more parking for residents then that is a change of parking policy that would need to be agreed by councillors. Mr X could lobby his councillors for a change in parking policy.
Final decision
- I will not investigate this complaint because we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman