London Borough of Hillingdon (25 015 099)
Category : Environment and regulation > Antisocial behaviour
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 17 Mar 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of Mr X’s community trigger application. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to result in finding fault with the Council’s actions.
The complaint
- Mr X complained the Council mishandled his community trigger application.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X complained the Council mishandled his community trigger application after he reported three incidents of anti-social behaviour within 6 months.
- The Council told Mr X the events complained about did not meet the threshold for a community trigger, but it had sent a leaflet out to local residents to help address the issues he was experiencing.
- Mr X is unhappy with the Council’s decision and wants us to find it at fault. The evidence shows the Council has considered Mr X’s application and decided his reports do not meet the threshold for a community trigger review. The Council is entitled to make this decision. There is no evidence of fault in the Council’s decision making. An investigation would therefore be unlikely to result in a finding of fault on the Council’s part.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman