Summary: The Ombudsman will use his discretion not to investigate this complaint about problems the complainant had making an application for a Blue Badge.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Mrs X, says the Council’s online system prevented her from submitting a Blue Badge application.

Back to top

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.
3. We can decide whether to start or discontinue an investigation into a complaint within our jurisdiction. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 24A(6) and 34B(8), as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

4. I read the complaint and the Council’s response. I asked the Council for an update following its response to Mrs X. I invited Mrs X to comment on a draft of this decision.

Back to top

What I found

What happened

5. Mrs X tried to apply for a Blue Badge using the Council’s on-line system. She complained that she was unable to apply because the system would not save the data. She said she had wasted about six hours of her time. In response the Council said it was aware that some people had experienced difficulties with the system which the IT team was trying to resolve. It apologised. It gave advice on how to use the system and asked Mrs X to contact the team if she was still having problems. Alternatively it told Mrs X how she could get a paper application.
6. Mrs X made the same complaint to the Ombudsman.
7. I asked the Council if Mrs X had contacted the Council to report further problems as it had invited her to do. The Council said it had not heard again from Mrs X and had not received a paper application. The Council has now sent Mrs X a paper application form.

Assessment

8. Mrs X has had trouble making an on-line Blue Badge application. However, I will not start an investigation because the Council apologised, gave advice on making the application and asked Mrs X to get in touch if she had additional problems. It also provided an alternative way in which she could make the claim. Mrs X did not contact the team to give examples of the continuing problems and she did not ask for a paper application. The Council has now posted a form to Mrs X which she can use if she is still unable to submit an on-line application. Given these factors there is no reason to start an investigation. In addition, the fastest way for Mrs X to have her application assessed is either to seek further support from the Council regarding an on-line application or to make a paper application.

Back to top

Final decision

9. I will not start an investigation because the incident and the options available to Mrs X mean an investigation is not necessary.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman