Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s response to reports of anti-social behaviour. This is because further investigation would not achieve a worthwhile outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the Council’s response to her reports of antisocial behaviour. She says it causes her stress and impacts her emotional well-being. She would like the Council to take further action.

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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 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

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

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My assessment

5. Since Ms X complained to the Ombudsman, the Council has installed a camera near her home. Ms X says this has reduced the behaviours she has been experiencing so she is now happy with the Council’s response. As the Council has resolved Ms X’s concerns, I do not consider we will achieve a worthwhile outcome by investigating Ms X’s complaint.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because further investigation would not achieve a worthwhile outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman