Decision report 201004650

Summary
Mr C complained that the council discriminated against him by failing to provide a service (cutting and maintenance of a grass verge). The council had told Mr C that they had risk assessed the area and found that the verge could not be attended to without closing the road. Mr C disagreed and said he had provided examples of other similar locations that the council did maintain. Mr C complained that the status of the area he lived in had changed to his detriment because a restricted service was being provided. He also complained that, after questioning policy differences between council departments, he had asked for copies of the council's policies on rural and urban areas but had not received these.

We did not uphold Mr C's complaints. There was no evidence that the council had not investigated his claims about discrimination. Further, there was nothing to show that the status of the area where Mr C lives had changed, so his claim about a change in service provision was not related to a change in status. The council also clarified that they have no policy that differentiates between urban and rural areas so there was no document available to send to Mr C.