The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about the Council’s actions. There is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
The complaint
Ms X and Mr X said the Council failed their children in several ways between 2014 and 2019, leading them to move to another council’s area.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
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)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainants.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
We may decide to investigate a late complaint if we think someone was unaware of the matters they now complain of at the time. We may also do so if we think it would have been unreasonable to expect someone to complain sooner. It is clear Ms X and Mr X would have been aware of the events they complain of at the time. It would have been reasonable for them to complain about these matters at the time.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X and Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate these matters now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman