The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to refund the cost of expired visitor parking permits. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We have seen no evidence of fault in the decision-making process.
The complaint
The complainant, I shall call Mr X complains the Council has decided not to refund the cost of 5 visitor car parking permits.
He says he the Council should renew the parking permits or provide a refund because the restrictions in place because of Covid 19 meant the permits could not be used.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We cannot question whether a council’s decision is right or wrong simply because the complainant disagrees with it. We must consider whether there was fault in the way the decision was reached. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. We cannot consider complaints about a policy just because someone disagrees with it. I have seen no evidence of fault in the process the Council followed leading to its decision not to extend the expiry date on visitor parking permits.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman