Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with his questions about safeguarding matters and his subsequent complaints. This is because the issues raised have not caused X a significant injustice.

The complaint

1. X complains about how the Council dealt with complaints he made regarding questions raised about safeguarding matters.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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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. X asked the Council questions relating to safeguarding matters. The Council responded, then subsequently apologised to X for any confusion caused by its response.
6. I will not investigate how the Council dealt with X’s questions. This is because I do not consider that this issue has caused X a significant enough injustice to warrant investigation by the Ombudsman.
7. I will not investigate how the Council dealt with X’s subsequent complaints. It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures if we are unable to deal with the substantive issue.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate X’s complaint because the issues raised have not caused him a significant injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman