City of Wolverhampton Council (21 005 392)
Category : Benefits and tax > COVID-19
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 22 Mar 2022
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: Mr X complained the Council wrongly refused his business a COVID-19 business grant, causing financial difficulties. We will not investigate this complaint as we have not seen evidence of fault in how the Council determined Mr X’s application.
The complaint
- Mr X complains the Council wrongly refused his business a COVID-19 business grant, causing financial difficulties
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X is complaining about the Council’s decision to refuse his application for the. She wants the Council to use its discretion to award the grant due to the financial difficulties caused to her business. She is also requesting compensation for the mental distress caused.
- The ARG is a discretionary scheme. The information provided shows the Council properly considered what would be appropriate criteria for the scheme. It has provided a copy of the individual cabinet member and officer delegated decision report dated 9 December 2020. This sets out the eligibility criteria as well as the Council’s approach on how it would determine when awards would be paid.
- In respect of the eligibility criteria for the ARG, I am satisfied the Council properly considered what criteria it would set as well as meeting the eligibility requirements set by the government. I find no fault in how the Council determined the eligibility criteria for the ARG.
Final decision
- We will not investigate @’s complaint because @
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman