Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has treated the complainant badly and will not tell his wife to return to the family home. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, says the Council has treated him badly and has failed to tell his wife to return home. Mr X says the Council wants Muslim families to fail. Mr X says the Council should tell his wife to come home. Mr X says his wife is unable to look after their children.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if we believe it is unlikely we would find fault. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
3. We cannot share information which is confidential to other people.

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How I considered this complaint

4. I read the complaint and the Council’s responses. I considered reports the Council has written about Mr X’s wife and children. I invited Mr X to comment on a draft of this decision.

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What I found

What happened

5. Mrs X reported to the police that she had been abused by Mr X. She asked the police for help to leave the family home.
6. Mrs X is now living away from Mr X. The Council carried out assessments and found that the children are now safe and well, and that Mrs X can meet their needs. The Council told Mr X it had no remit to tell Mrs X to return to the family home or that she must stay at home.
7. Mr X says the Council has encouraged his wife to leave and stay away. He says she is unable to look after the children. Mr X says the Council has misreported events because it does not want his wife to return home. Mr X says the Council does not want Muslim families to succeed.

Assessment

8. I will not start an investigation because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. I cannot share any information with Mr X because it is confidential to his wife. However, I have seen the reports which show the Council acted properly and with the aim of ensuring the safety and well-being of his children. In addition, only his wife could decide whether she wants to return to Mr X and there is nothing to suggest the Council has treated Mr X differently, or badly, due to his religion. The reports show the Council’s primary motivation has been to keep the children safe and the Council is satisfied this is what Mrs X is doing.

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Final decision

9. I will not start an investigation because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman