Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (21 003 913)
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about COVID-19-related grants.
The complaint
- Mr X complained the Council had not paid his community organisation some COVID-19 grants he believed the organisation should receive. He stated this exacerbated the organisation’s financial problems from having been unable to operate normally during the government’s COVID-19 restrictions.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- While we were dealing with Mr X’s complaint, the Council reviewed the matter when it was preparing some documents we had asked for. The Council then decided it should pay Mr X’s organisation the grants he was seeking. Mr X’s organisation has therefore received all the grants it was entitled to. The Ombudsman cannot achieve more.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the complaint is now resolved.
Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman