Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council considered his application for a blue badge. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council did not properly consider his mobility issues and supporting evidence, when it rejected his application for a blue badge.
2. Mr X said this negatively impacted his independence and ability to complete everyday tasks. He wanted the Council to reconsider its decision and provide him with a blue badge.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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), section 34(B))

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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. Mr X complained the Council did not properly consider his mobility issues and evidence when it refused his application for a blue badge.
7. The Council considered Mr X’s concerns and responded. It explained it was aware of Mr X’s medical conditions and his reports of:
• left knee pain;
• difficulty walking due to pain;
• stiffness;
• swelling;
• breathlessness; and
• risk of falls.
8. The Council confirmed these were considered as part of its decision-making process. It added that Mr X did not provide any recent or relevant medical documentation to support his application, or evidence of prescribed medications.
9. The Council considered Mr X’s application, medical conditions and lack of supporting medical evidence and found it did not meet the eligibility threshold. Therefore, his application was refused.
10. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not take a second look at a decision to decide if it was wrong. Instead, we look at the processes an organisation followed to make its decision. If we consider it followed those processes correctly, we cannot question whether the decision was right or wrong, regardless of whether an individual disagrees with the decision the organisation made.
11. I have considered the steps the organisation took to consider Mr X’s application, and the information it took account of when deciding to refuse his application. There is no fault in how it made the decision and I therefore cannot question whether that decision was right or wrong.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman