A Kempston resident has accused Bedford Borough Council of wasting more than a year of her time. Delays in dealing with a land query led to the withdrawal of an offer to buy the plot and forced her to pursue a lengthy legal process to secure it.
Speaking at Wednesday’s Full Council (8 October), Pritti Saggi asked Mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) when residents would “be treated with respect” and receive timely replies to questions and emails.
“I’d like to know when responses will be given when questions are asked and emails are sent — where you don’t have to wait eight months for a reply,” she said.
Mayor Wootton apologised, saying officers had searched for Saggi’s emails but could not find them.
“Nobody has come up trumps, but I apologise if you’re being kept waiting for a reply,” he said. “I’m very sorry, but normally we try to get back to people reasonably quickly.”
Ms Saggi expressed surprise at the mayor’s response, pointing out that she had previously raised the issue and that senior officers were already aware of the case.
Her original email, sent to the council’s property department, concerned a piece of land behind her house.
She said it took eight months for a manager to respond, by which time the relevant officer had retired.
Issues could have been avoided
Although she was later offered the land for £800, that offer was withdrawn before she could decide, a situation she believes could have been avoided if the council had responded sooner.
“Before I could even make a decision, that was then taken away,” she said.
“Then I fought for a year and a half to get to the Land Registry to do an adverse possession, which I’m really pleased to let you know I have won. So I have got my piece of land.
“But I didn’t have to go through all of that.”
Saggi credited her local councillor, Caroline White (Independent, Kempston Central and East), for backing her during the process.
She urged other residents not to give up, advising them to contact their councillors, MPs, use the council complaints procedure, and, if necessary, escalate to the Local Government Ombudsman.
She also called on the council to introduce a formal response policy, setting clear timescales for replying to public enquiries.
“There should be something that says if a member of the public is taking the time and effort to put in a question, how long should it take? Should it take 10 days? How far up the system do I need to go?” she asked.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
