Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Mr X’s complaint because it is a disproportionate use of public resources to do so.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council has not responded to his complaint, which he said obstructed him from obtaining information about his concerns.
2. He would like the Council to apologise to him and investigate his concerns.

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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.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, 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 to the Council about the way it had dealt with a children’s matter.
7. Mr X says the Council would not provide him with information he requested from it or respond to his concerns without confirmation of consent from the people involved in the matter.
8. Mr X complained to the Ombudsman on the basis he has been caused an injustice as he was unable to obtain the information he wanted from the Council.
9. We are not looking at the substantive complaint about how the Council has handed the children’s matter, which does not form part of Mr X’s complaint to the Ombudsman.
10. We will not usually investigate a complaint about a Council’s complaint handling process where we are not considering the substantive issues complained of.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it would be a disproportionate use of resources to do so.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman