The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about what happened in court. The law prevents us from investigating matters which have been subject to court proceedings.
The complaint
Mr X complained about the Authority’s testimony in court.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
We cannot investigate a complaint about the start of court action or what happened in court. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5/5A, paragraph 1/3, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
Final decision
We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating matters which have been subject to court proceedings. Mr X could have raised his concerns in court, either by himself or via his legal representatives.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman