Commentary on Sections Section 34E: Matters coming to attention of Local Commissioner
331.Under section 34E, matters that come to the attention of a Local Commissioner, without being raised by the person affected or his or her representatives, can be treated as though a complaint had been made about them directly. A Local Commissioner may investigate matters as though they had been raised by a complaint if they become aware of the matters either during an investigation under the existing scheme relating to local authorities (under Part 3 of the 1974 Act) or during an investigation of another matter under the new scheme. A Local Commissioner may only investigate a matter if it appears that a member of the public has or may have suffered injustice in consequence of the matter. The matter must also have come to the attention of the Local Commissioner before the person affected or their representatives have had notice of the matter, or within a permitted period of 12 months, although in the same way as in section 34D, the Local Commissioner may disapply the 12-month time limit.