Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a news channel being shown in the waiting area of Council offices, and
Miss X missing out on food vouchers due to them being sent to an incorrect email address. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault, we could not add to the investigation by the Council, part of the complaint is about a school we cannot investigate, and there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council offices were showing television news content in the waiting area of its offices which was inappropriate for children.
2. Miss X also complains she missed out on 18 months of food vouchers as her son’s school had an incorrect email address for her.
3. Miss X says she is concerned about the emotional safety of children in the waiting room of Council offices and would like to have the vouchers reissued to her.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
5. 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:
• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
6. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
7. We cannot investigate most complaints about what happens in schools. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5, paragraph 5(2), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

8. I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council, as well as relevant law, policy and guidance.
9. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

10. Miss X complained the Council was showing 24-hour news in the waiting room of its offices. She was concerned that the content was inappropriate for children in the waiting area.
11. The Council said if the television was showing anything that could be distressing, the front line staff would switch it off on request. We will not investigate this for the reasons in paragraph five above.
12. Miss X complains she did not receive food vouchers during Covid. We will not investigate this complaint as it is late and there is no good reason to investigate it now.
13. Miss X also complains she did not receive food vouchers from her son’s school in the academic year 2023 – 2024 as they were sent to the wrong email address. We cannot investigate these issues as they do not concern the actions of the Council.

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Final decision

14. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault, we could not add to the investigation by the Council, part of the complaint is about a school we cannot investigate, and there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman