Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to concerns raised by Mr X in connection with a leisure centre car park and play area. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council or injustice caused to Mr X to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains he has been treated shoddily by the Council and lied to in relation to matters concerning anti-social behaviour at a leisure centre car park and play area. He says he wants answers to two questions about who placed tape on a sign at the play area and who was present at a meeting which took place at his property.

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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 not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or

(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, including the Council’s response to his complaint.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. We do not investigate every complaint we receive. We are funded by the public purse and have an obligation to use the funds allocated to us in an effective, efficient and economic manner.
6. This means we will not investigate complaints when there is insufficient evidence of fault by a council or injustice caused to the complainant to warrant an investigation. While Mr X may want further clarification of who placed tape on a play area sign in 2023 and confirmation of who attended a meeting at his house, there are insufficient grounds to warrant the investigation of these matters.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council or injustice caused to Mr X to warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman