Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council issuing a communication behaviour warning letter. There is insufficient injustice to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the Council issuing her with a communication warning letter.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mrs X complained to the Council about its children services’ actions. She was unhappy with the Council's response and messaged it for updates. In January 2026 the Council wrote to Mrs X. It said it was concerned at what it saw as the unacceptable nature of Mrs X’s communication. It said it was unreasonably persistent and was taking up too much of officers’ time. It warned Mrs X that if it continued the Council would impose restrictions on her ability to contact the Council.
6. Mrs X says this was unfair and incorrect of the Council to label her. She felt bullied. She says she was just trying to get her complaint heard. She had felt ignored. She says the impact of the warning troubled her throughout the rest of the complaints’ process.
7. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the Council. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
8. Here Mrs X has not had any service limited or directly impacted. The distress from a warning letter is not sufficient enough to justify an investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the direct injustice is not significant enough.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman