The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council replacing slabbed pavements in the Council’s area. This is because it affects all or most of the people in the area.
The complaint
Mrs X complains the Council is spending a large amount of public money on replacing the currently slabbed pavements with asphalt. Mrs X complains this is unnecessary, damaging to the environment and a waste of taxpayer money. Mrs X would like the Council to abandon its 10-year programme to asphalt all the pavements in the Council’s area.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate something that affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(7), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Ombudsman cannot investigate a complaint about wasting taxpayer money. It is the Council’s decision how to spend its resources. This is outside our jurisdiction because it affects all or most people in the Council’s area.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we cannot investigate matters that affect all or most of the people in the area.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman