Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council refusing to renew her son’s Blue Badge. This is because the Council has reviewed its decision and issued the Blue Badge. This is a satisfactory outcome, and we could not achieve anything more.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall refer to as Mrs X, complained the Council had refused her renewal application for her son’s Blue Badge.

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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:

• we are satisfied with the action taken, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In response to our enquiries the Council said it had reviewed Mrs X’s application and had renewed her son’s Blue Badge. We will not therefore investigate. Issuing the Blue Badge is the outcome Mrs X wanted. An investigation would not achieve anything more.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the problem has been resolved and we could not achieve anything more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman