Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council failed to tackle ‘excessive noise’ from racing track Mallory Park and has been told to pay residents compensation.
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) ruled that the council should have acted sooner to deal with complaints about the racing track's previous operators.
Residents had complained that events were being held so frequently at the track they were unable to enjoy their homes or gardens for most of the year. However, the council delayed acting on the complaints, failed to monitor noise levels and delayed obtaining legal advice, the LGO said.
Dr Jane Martin, Local Government Ombudsman, said: ‘Neighbours living in the village accept that there will be some noise from the track, but what these people had to put up with was unacceptable.
‘At times they have described the noise as intolerable. They were not able to enjoy their homes and gardens for months on end, and for them there seemed to be little respite or redress.
‘Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council should have acted sooner to investigate their complaints. Officers delayed taking any action and relied for too long on the hope that low level liaison would solve the problems – even when it became patently obvious that it would not.’
The council has been told to pay £5,000 compensation to one couple and £2,500 to a second couple, as well as donate £1,000 to the village schoolroom committee.
