Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (21 016 563)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 16-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refuse collection service. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on which complaints we investigate. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council. Also, the alleged injustice is not enough to warrant an investigation, and it is unlikely we could add anything to the Council’s response.

Maidstone Borough Council (21 006 497)

Statement Upheld Refuse and recycling 16-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr B says the Council failed to act when his neighbours continued to place refuse bins outside his property. There is no fault in how the Council dealt with that issue. However, the Council gave Mr B and his MP incorrect information and failed to respond to an email from Mr B. An apology and reminder to officers is satisfactory remedy.

Coventry City Council (21 016 646)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 15-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about missed bin collections. The issues complained about affect all or most of the people in the local area.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (21 010 027)

Statement Upheld Refuse and recycling 15-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s household waste collection. That is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Buckinghamshire Council (21 009 014)

Statement Upheld Refuse and recycling 11-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council refuse crew failed to return her garden waste bin to the collection point after emptying it. Mrs X says the Council’s actions cause her strain in retrieving the bin given her age. The Ombudsman found fault with the Council. The Council has already made service improvements and corrected the underlying issue with collections. The Council agreed to the Ombudsman’s recommendation to pay Mrs X £100 to reflect the inconvenience and frustration she experienced.

Thanet District Council (21 011 344)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 09-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s garden waste collection service. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code about which complaints we investigate. The injustice to the complainant is not significant enough to warrant an investigation and the service has now improved. We could not therefore achieve anything more.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (21 011 638)

Statement Upheld Refuse and recycling 09-Mar-2022

Summary: I have stopped investigating the complaint. The Council has agreed to reinstate Miss X’s weekly waste collections. This is a suitable remedy for the alleged injustice and further investigation will serve no useful purpose.

Birmingham City Council (21 016 702)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 04-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council not dealing with her complaint regarding her neighbour receiving assisted bin collections. The Council providing that service to her neighbour does not cause Mrs X a significant personal injustice warranting an investigation. We do not investigate councils’ complaints handling where we are not investigating the core issue giving rise to the complaint.

Maidstone Borough Council (21 016 446)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 03-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s missed collection of Mrs X’s household waste on one occasion. There is insufficient evidence of any significant injustice which would warrant an investigation.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (21 014 325)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Refuse and recycling 02-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about nuisance caused by waste bins placed near Ms X’s window. This is because the Council is continuing to consider the matter and whether it has any legal remit to become involved.