Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about parking problems experienced by a group of residents. The Council has provided a satisfactory response during the complaint process, and we are unlikely to be able to achieve anything further.

The complaint

1. Mr X, who acts on behalf of a residents association, complains the Council is failing to address parking problems in their area which are primarily caused by people who do not have a parking permit.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We can investigate 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. So, we do not start an investigation if we decide:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation, or
• we are satisfied with the action an organisation has taken or proposed to take.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6) & (7), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council, which included the Council’s complaint responses.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. I appreciate local residents are frustrated by non-permit holders parking in their area.
6. But the Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not overrule Council decisions or tell it how it should operate its services. It is for the Council to decide where best to focus its limited resources.
7. With reference to paragraph 2 above, I am satisfied with the responses provided by the Council during its complaint process, and there is nothing further we could add to this. So, we will not start an investigation. In reaching this view I am mindful that the Council:
• Explained its funding for the 2024/25 financial year is already committed to other schemes/projects, and how proposals are prioritised.
• Explained why it would not be possible to proceed, in the near future, with the solutions suggested by residents.
• Highlighted the improvements it is currently implementing within the wider parking service, which it hopes will help to address the problems residents experience.
• Agreed to conduct targeted parking enforcement in the area.
• Apologised for the previous delays in responding to Mr X’s correspondence and complaint.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Council has provided a satisfactory response during the complaint process, and we are unlikely to be able to achieve anything further.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman