Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that a charity is not providing her with her requested reasonable adjustments and about its easy read complaints policy. This is because the actions complained about are not the administrative function of a council.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the services provided by a charity. She says they are not providing her with her requested reasonable adjustments which prevents her from accessing their services. She also complains about the charity’s easy read complaints policy.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate complaints about actions which are not the administrative function of a council. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(1) as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mrs X complains a charity is not providing her requested reasonable adjustments. She says this prevents her from accessing the charity’s services. She also complained about the charity’s easy read complaints policy.
7. Mrs X’s complaints are therefore about the actions of an independent charity. The Council has confirmed it does not commission any services from the charity.
8. Therefore, we cannot investigate this complaint as the matters complained about are not the administrative function of a council. In other words, the Council is not responsible for the issues being complained about.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the issues complained about are not the administrative function of a council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman