The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of the coroner’s office. We have no power to do so.
The complaint
Ms X complains the coroner’s office has failed to make required amendments to documents related to her father’s death.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
We investigate complaint about councils and certain other bodies. We cannot investigate the actions of bodies or office holders such as the coroner or coroner’s officers carrying out their coronial functions. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 25 and 34A, as amended) We cannot investigate complaints about actions which are not the administrative function of a council. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(1) 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
Coroners are judicial office holders carrying out their own functions as set out in law. The role of the coroner is to investigate unexpected deaths and give findings on what they consider to have been the cause.
Ms X’s complaint relates to the actions of the coroner and the coroner’s office. Any decision about whether to amend the documents as Ms X requests (or a failure to respond to Ms X’s request) relates to the coroner’s statutory functions relating to coronial investigations. It does not relate to an administrative function of the Council. We cannot, therefore, consider a complaint about these actions.
Final decision
We cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint because we have no power to do so.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman