Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to install CCTV at Mr X’s request. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council has failed to install CCTV cameras to address the anti-social behaviour taking place on his street.

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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
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(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 that he reported anti-social behaviour taking place on his street which led to his car being vandalised. He said he wanted the Council to install CCTV cameras on his street and pay for the damage.
6. The Council said it considered installing CCTV but due to limited resources and lack of evidence it was not possible to do this. The Council said it had captured footage of a vandalism incident from a nearby street and the Police did not prosecute despite receiving this footage, showing CCTV alone was not the key to reducing the issues complained about.
7. The Council told Mr X it had instructed the local police safer neighbourhood team to conduct regular patrols of the area and it held regular meetings to identify areas where CCTV would be useful.
8. Mr X wants us to find the Council at fault. The evidence shows the Council has investigated Mr X’s complaint and found little evidence to support installing CCTV. The Council has provided a reasonable explanation for this and liaised with local police to increase patrols in the area. This is in line with what we would expect the Council to do. An investigation would be unlikely to find fault in the Council’s actions.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman