Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled Mr X’s personal data as it is best dealt with by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council wrongly gave his bank details to another person who lives with him when it set up their council tax account. Mr X is concerned about his data security and considers the Council should not do this again.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is another body better placed to consider this complaint (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent body set up to uphold data privacy rights. It is best placed to assess how the Council handled Mr X’s personal data and as such, we will not investigate.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is best dealt with by the ICO.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman