LGO attacks council for lack of proper procedures for allocating street trading pitches

The Local Government Ombudsman has sharply criticised a London borough for having no proper procedures or policies in place for allocating street trading pitches.

In a report the Ombudsman suggested that Camden Council’s process lacked transparency and fairness and made the allocation of pitches “open to the possibility or the appearance of corruption”.

The LGO, Dr Jane Martin, launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a man who had made numerous requests to Camden to use a pitch that had not been used since 2008.

The Ombudsman found that the authority had repeatedly ignored both the man’s request for the pitch or an alternative and his subsequent complaints.

Dr Martin also said:

• there had been failings in the authority’s complaints procedures, with its central complaints unit appearing to have been ignored by the department concerned;
• her own investigation had been hampered by incorrect information supplied by Camden;
• there had been unacceptable delay and frustration for the complainant; and
• Camden had itself lost revenue “due to its own disorganisation”.

Finding maladministration causing injustice, the LGO recommended that Camden draw up new procedures to allow for the fair and transparent allocation of miscellaneous street trading pitches.

Dr Martin also said the council should review its complaints handling, apologise to the complainant and pay him £300 in compensation.

Camden has accepted the recommendations.