The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to carry out decisions made by the full Council. We do not consider the complainant has suffered enough personal injustice to warrant an investigation.
The complaint
The complainant, I shall call Mr X, complains about the Council’s failure to carry out decisions made at full Council meetings in 2021.
He says he has been put to time and trouble producing a presentation. And he has been denied the opportunity to have his ideas considered by the Council.
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 Mr X and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X was one of several people who gave presentations to the Council in February 2021 At a full meeting of the Council in March 2021 the Council asked Officers to set up a Working Party at the earliest opportunity. This was to prepare a report for a future meeting of the full Council on regeneration activities. The Council has not yet arranged the Working Group.
Mr X says he has spent time and effort in preparing the presentation. He also says the Council is preventing him from having his ideas considered.
The Council refuses to consider Mr X’s complaint as it is about a decision taken more than twelve months ago.
The Council’s complaint policy allows it not to investigate complaints about matters from more than twelve months ago.
Mr X says his complaint is not late as he had to wait some time before it became apparent the Council was not going to set up the Working Group.
However, whilst I acknowledge the time and effort spent in creating his presentation, I do not consider this is sufficient injustice to warrant an investigation.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because Mr X has not suffered sufficient personal injustice to justify our involvement.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman