Summary: We will not investigate this complaint alleging an officer did not keep information confidential. This is because there is no evidence of fault with the Council’s response.

The complaint

1. Mx A complains that an officer breached the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and this is a safety risk for children.
2. They would like the Council to look at a report and contact the complainant.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant that includes the Council’s response.
5. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mx A is concerned with an unnamed officer’s actions which they say potentially affects the safety of unnamed children. The Council has advised Mx A that, due to the lack of information, it cannot investigate anonymous complaints.
7. We will not investigate as there is no evidence of fault in the Council’s response. It has acted to respond to Mx A and explained the reasons it cannot consider.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mx A’s complaint because there is no fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman