Brighton & Hove City Council: the register
Ruling 24 017 916
Folio 140
Finding: Fault found
- Finding recorded by the ombudsman
- Upheld
- Service
- Environment and regulation: Refuse and recycling
- Council
- Brighton & Hove City Council
- Body
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- Decided
- Summary
-
Ms X complained the Council wrongly issued her with a Fixed Penalty Notice regarding commercial waste when she does not run a business. Ms X says this has cost her financially, through payment of the penalty and loss of income. She said this also caused her distress. There was fault in the way the Council did not explain its position, did not allow Ms X to explain her position and the complaint handling was poor. This frustrated Ms X and she was put to time and trouble to complain. The Council agreed to refund the penalty notice as it offered, make a financial payment, provide guidance to its staff and review its policy.
Summary as published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Remedies
Words in quotation marks are quoted from the ombudsman’s decision.
States worked out on 9 October 2026.
The ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy.
| Ordered | Outcome publishedThe ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | What was ordered | Deadline | Payment | Date | Entry | Payment |
| 1 | ApologyApologise to Ms X for the injustice the Council fault caused.Deadline as worded: within 4 weeks of my final decision |
Deadline passed 30 October 2025. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 2 | PaymentRefund the FPN as it offered.Deadline as worded: within 4 weeks of my final decision |
Deadline passed 30 October 2025. Outcome not published. | Amount not stated | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 3 | PaymentPay Ms X the £300 it offered as an acknowledgement of the frustration the fault caused, and time and trouble she has spent pursuing this complaint.Deadline as worded: within 4 weeks of my final decision |
Deadline passed 30 October 2025. Outcome not published. | £300.00 | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 4 | Service changeRemind relevant staff of the importance of effective complaint handling, following the process and adhering to timescales.Deadline as worded: within 4 weeks of my final decision |
Deadline passed 30 October 2025. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 5 | Service changeReview and amend its environmental policy as it offered. This should include setting up a clear criteria, clearer templates and letters, allowing challenge and considering the wording in the policy regarding the impact of actions.Deadline as worded: Within three months of my final decision |
Deadline passed 2 January 2026. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| Stated payments ordered | £300.00 | Outcomes published by the ombudsman: none | ||||