The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in removing graffiti. That is because there is not significant enough injustice to justify our involvement.
The complaint
Mr X complained the Council closed his request for graffiti to be cleaned without completing the work. He said that resulted in a delay in the council removing the graffiti. He wants the Council to ensure it cannot close incomplete jobs and to implement a strategy to reduce the incidence of graffiti.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide: any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
In the Council’s response to Mr X’s complaint is apologised for not initially carrying out the work as promised. It said it had repainted some of the areas of graffiti and was intending to complete further cleaning the following week. It apologised for Mr X not receiving the standard of service he expected from the Council.
Although Mr x is unhappy with this response, we will not investigate the complaint further. That is because any injustice he has experienced it not enough to justify our involvement. In addition, further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome. The Council has apologised and taken steps to remove the graffiti.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not significant enough injustice to justify our involvement.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman