The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about highway maintenance. This is because the courts are better placed to consider this complaint.
The complaint
Mr Y complained the Council has failed to act properly in response to reports of poor highway maintenance in his area. Mr Y feels there is an ongoing risk to him by the highway being dangerous and says that his bike has been damaged while using the Council’s roads.
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 or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information Mr Y and the Council provided and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr Y complained to the Council in August 2022 about numerous reports he had made about highways being in a poor condition which he did not believe had been acted upon. The Council responded in August, detailing the action it had taken or planned to take in relation to Mr Y’s reports. Mr Y was not satisfied with this response and approached us in September 2022.
Analysis The Council as a local highways authority has a statutory duty to maintain adopted streets. The Council is expected to routinely monitor the state of highways, depending on their classification and carry out repairs where necessary. But, the level of maintenance, frequency of inspection, and threshold for repair is not set out in law and is open to interpretation.
If a person considers that a highways authority has failed to maintain a highway it is responsible for, the person affected can apply to the Magistrates court for an order to be made under section 56 of the Highways Act 1980. This order requires the highways authority to carry out the work needed to the highway. It can also consider whether the Council has classified the road correctly where this is disputed.
If the highways authority does not respond in time or does not accept it is responsible for maintaining the road, the person may apply to the Crown court for such an order.
Mr Y may use this process to try to get the Council to repair the road. There might be some cost to court action. However, that does not mean it is unreasonable to take court action. There is often financial assistance to those of a low income from HM Courts and Tribunal Service. Also, reasonable adjustments can be made for access to the service if necessary. It is therefore reasonable for Mr Y to be expected to use his right to go to court about this matter.
Further, the court is in the best position to decide whether the Council has met its legal duty to maintain the highway. Also, unlike the Ombudsman, the court can order the Council to do the required work, so it is better placed than us to consider the complaint.
Mr Y has also said that his bike has been damaged while using the Council’s roads. The legislation from which the Ombudsman takes their power also places some restrictions on what we may investigate. One of these concerns negligence claims about damage to property or personal injury. We cannot determine liability claims for negligence. These are legal claims which may only be determined by insurers or the courts.
We are not able to decide liability or award damages. Consequently, any claim for damages, such as costs for repairs to a bike, which Mr Y considers the Council to be responsible for, are matters more appropriately dealt with by the courts. We will not investigate this complaint.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because the courts are better placed to consider this complaint.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman