A council has apologised to one of its residents after it was found to have failed to address complaints about noise and antisocial behaviour properly.

The complaints to Watford Borough Council date back to 2016 after a man hit out at noise coming from a supermarket and petrol garage he lives near.

The council investigated the issue, a report by the Local Government Ombudsman said, but it was criticised for its “failures in communication” with the complainant.

As a result of the Ombudsman investigation, the council has agreed to pay £150 to the complainant to recognise the “time and trouble” in pursuing his complaint.

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The resident, who is referred in the report as Mr X, first contacted the council in 2016 reporting noise disturbance from an unidentified nearby supermarket and petrol station.

The concerns were investigated and the supermarket was informed it could not receive deliveries before 7am.

In mid-2020, the complainant contacted the council again saying he was losing sleep because of noise coming from the site overnight and that deliveries were being received before 7am.

He also said people were urinating in an area between the site and his home.

In December last year, the complainant took his case to the Ombudsman accusing the council of “taking no action” despite raising issues for a year-and-a-half.

He said he had kept noise diaries and reported new disturbances, as requested by the council, but that the council “repeatedly failed” to update him on its investigation and findings.

This included failing to give an explanation it had received as to why supermarket deliveries were taking place before 7am or that it had deemed the noise did not amount to a statutory nuisance.

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As the man continued to report noise disturbance and antisocial behaviour throughout 2021, the failure to keep Mr X “regularly” updated caused him “frustration and inconvenience”, the Ombudsman said.

Following involvement from the Ombudsman, the council recognised the frustration caused to Mr X, along with apologising and paying £150, and has since contacted the supermarket to check deliveries are taking place after 7am.

It also confirmed to the complainant what it can legally deal with within its power.