Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to Mr X’s reports concerning anti-social behaviour. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council failed to act in response to reports he has made about anti-social behaviour taking place in the local area.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(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 Mr X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X complained to the Council about anti-social behaviour taking place in his local area. He said the Council had been aware of the problem for some time and it had failed to address it. Mr X said he wanted the Council to enforce a public spaces protection order.
6. The Council investigated Mr X’s complaint and confirmed it had visited the area several times and held multi agency meetings to discuss the problem. The Council said it had considered installing CCTV cameras but as this was not practical, it was seeking legal advice regarding a public spaces protection order.
7. Mr X remains unhappy with the situation and wants us to find the Council at fault. The evidence shows the Council has acted within its scope to tackle the problem and has conducted a thorough investigation which addresses Mr X’s complaint and details actions it is taking to resolve the issue. These were reasonable actions for the Council to take. An investigation would be unlikely to provide a different result for Mr X.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman