Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to renew her son’s Blue Badge. The Council has changed its decision so an investigation would not achieve anything more.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall refer to as Mrs X, complained the Council had refused to renew 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 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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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. The Council has changed its decision and issued a Blue Badge. This is the outcome Mrs X wanted and so an investigation would not achieve anything more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman