The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council failed to renew a taxi licence and transfer it to a third party. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
The complaint
Mr X complains that the Council failed to renew his taxi licence and transfer it to a third party. Mr X complains that his partner was made to return the taxi plates after his licence expired.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We 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. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Council wrote to Mr X to say it would not renew his licence and why. He was given the opportunity to transfer the licence to another drive. A transfer application was received but missed required information, so the Council wrote to the applicant but received no response. It later spoke to the person named on the application, but they said that they had not submitted it. Mr X’s licence subsequently expired and the Council asked Mr X’s partner to return the plates which she did.
I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. An opportunity was given to Mr X to arrange an application to transfer the licence, but no valid application was made. There is no fault with the Council’s request for plates to be returned as Mr X no longer holds a licence.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman