Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about poor communication from the Council and a delay in responding to her complaint. We are satisfied with the actions the Council has taken, and we consider them to be a reasonable and proportionate remedy.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains about poor communication from the Council in relation to child contact arrangements. She said on one occasion, her father drove a considerable distance to attend a contact session that had already been cancelled.
2. Miss X also complains the Council delayed responding to her complaint.
3. She would like compensation for the distress caused by the Council’s actions, and compensation for the travel costs her father incurred. She would also like the Council to formally apologise and improve future communications.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because we are satisfied with the actions the Council has taken in response to her concerns, and we consider them to be a reasonable and proportionate remedy.
8. The Council has accepted its communication failures, apologised to Miss X and partially upheld her complaint.
9. It offered her a symbolic payment of £50 for the poor communication that led to her father incurring financial losses, and another £50 to recognise the delay in responding to her complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because we are satisfied with the actions the Council has taken, and we consider them to be a reasonable and proportionate remedy.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman