Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to ensure the accuracy of his police data at a strategy meeting. This is mostly because his complaint is better addressed by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to ensure the accuracy of his police data before sharing it within a strategy meeting. He says the matter has caused him distress and damaged his reputation.
2. He wants the Council to acknowledge its failings and award him compensation.

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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:

• there is another body better placed to consider this complaint, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(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 Mr X and the Council.
5. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X’s complaint concerns the alleged manipulation of his personal data. These concerns are better addressed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO considers complaints about data protection law breaches, including mishandling of personal data.
7. In any event, it is unlikely we could establish whether the alleged data manipulation affected the outcome of the strategy meeting and therefore there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is better addressed by the ICO.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman