Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s investigations into the conduct of Mrs X’s employee. This is because Mrs X has not been caused an injustice.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the way the Council investigated allegations against one of her employees. She says the investigation and the outcome have caused her employee significant distress.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Any injustice caused by fault by the Council would be to Mrs X’s employee and not Mrs X. Therefore, we will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because she has not been caused an injustice.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman