Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to award the complainant’s child social or medical priority for their preferred school. This is because the Council has now agreed to the complainant’s request and so we could not achieve anything more.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council had not agreed to give her daughter social or medical priority for her preferred school.

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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 effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the Council has agreed to her request. We could not therefore achieve anything more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman