Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Ms X’s contact with the Council and its complaints handling. The Council has already investigated under the complaint procedures, and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained, in May 2025, that, during its involvement with her family, the Council was not keeping accurate records, and its communication with her was poor. Ms X then subsequently complained about the Council’s response to a telephone call it had with her.
2. Ms X said the Council’s actions has caused her distress and she has lost trust in the service.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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, or there is another body better placed to consider the complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The Council met with Ms X in June 2025 to discuss her complaint. Ms X had asked for this to resolve her complaint. The Council met with her and explained the information it had recorded in its case notes and Ms X disputed the accuracy of statements it had recorded.
7. In September, Ms X was unhappy with how another officer described her demeanour after a telephone call. The Council investigated this, spoke to the officer and gave an explanation to Ms X about why the officer arrived at that conclusion.
8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it is investigated her complaints, provided her with an explanation and its responses appear reasonable. Therefore, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
9. In any case, Ms X wants records of minutes altered, and we have no power to require or oversee such action. This would be a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who has the powers to deal with this.
10. Nor will I investigate the Council’s complaint handling. It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures, if we decide not to investigate the substantive issue.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome and parts of Ms X’s complaint are better directed to another body.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman