Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council assessed Mrs Q for her blue badge renewal. After Mrs Q complained to us the Council renewed her blue badge following a fresh assessment. An investigation by us is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I have called Mrs Q, complained that Cornwall Council’s assessment for her blue badge renewal was faulty. She said the assessor failed to take relevant information into consideration and the Council refused to contact her GP and chiropractor about her conditions.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we believe it is unlikely further investigation will lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered the information Mrs Q provided. I discussed the complaint with Mrs Q. I invited Mrs Q to comment on a draft of this decision.

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What I found

Background

4. If someone says there was fault in the way they were assessed for a blue badge we might recommend the Council do a fresh assessment.

Key facts

5. Mrs Q has ME as well as a back and leg injury. She had a blue badge.
6. The Council assessed Mrs Q when her blue badge was due for renewal. It decided she did not qualify for a blue badge. It confirmed this decision after she appealed.
7. Mrs Q said the Council’s assessor did not take account of her back and leg injury and appeared to ignore information from the ME Society she had provided. She also said the Council refused to contact her GP and chiropractor for information.
8. Mrs Q sent the Council further evidence of her condition. She said it would not reassess her. However, since Mrs Q contacted us, and without any contact from us, the Council did a fresh assessment and gave her a blue badge. Mrs Q said she had been inconvenienced because she did not have a blue badge for some time and it had impacted on her health. She also said she had paid more for parking fees while she was without a blue badge.

Analysis

9. We will not investigate this complaint.
10. Mrs Q said there was fault in the way the Council assessed her for a blue badge because it ignored information she provided and refused to gather more information. She explained how she had been affected by not having a blue badge. In such situations, we might recommend the Council do a fresh assessment. However, in Mrs Q’s case, the Council had already done a fresh assessment and given her a blue badge. So an investigation by us is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman