The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a missed household waste recycling collection and poor complaint handling. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The injustice to the complainant from the missed collections is not significant enough to warrant an investigation and we will not look at complaint handling as a standalone issue.
The complaint
The complainant, whom I shall refer to as Mr X, complained about a missed household waste recycling collection. Mr X is also unhappy with how the Council dealt with his complaint.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
I understand Mr X is unhappy his bin was not collected. But the injustice to Mr X is not significant enough to warrant us investigating. Also, it is not a good use of our resources to look at complaint handling as a standalone issue if we are not going to look at the issue which led to the original complaint.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the injustice is not significant enough. We will not investigate complaint handling as a standalone issue.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman