Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to renew a blue badge. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision to justify our investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs Y disagreed with the Council’s decision not to renew her blue badge. Mrs Y said the Council did not properly consider all the medical information she provided to support her renewal application and the resulting appeal.
2. Mrs Y also said the Council’s decision had affected her independence, causing distress.
3. Mrs Y wants the Council to renew her blue badge and review how it supports vulnerable people.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
5. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. 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

6. I considered information provided by Mrs Y and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Mrs Y applied to renew her blue badge. The Council carried out a telephone assessment and decided that Mrs Y did not meet the threshold for a blue badge.
9. After consideration by the Ombudsman, the Council invited Mrs Y to attend a face-to-face mobility assessment as an appeal against its earlier decision.
10. Following the mobility assessment, the Council decided Mrs Y did not meet the criteria for a blue badge and refused her appeal.
11. We will not investigate this complaint as there is insufficient evidence of fault. The records show the Council has suitably considered Mrs Y’s application, her supporting evidence and her appeal before reaching its decision that she does not meet the qualifying criteria for a Blue Badge.
12. Our role is not to ask whether an organisation could have done things better, or whether we agree or disagree with what it did. Instead, we look at whether there was fault in how it made its decisions. If we decide there was no fault in how it did so, we cannot ask whether it should have made a particular decision or say it should have reached a different outcome.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Mrs Y’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision to justify our investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman