City of York Council (22 004 677)
Category : Environment and regulation > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 11 Jul 2022
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council’s scheme to tackle climate change is a waste of public money. This is because the alleged injustice affects all or most people in the Council’s area.
The complaint
- The complainant, who I will refer to as Mr B, complains that the Council has launched a scheme to tackle climate change which is politically motivated and not supported by local residents. Mr B says the scheme is a waste of tax payers money. Mr B would like the Council to apologise and commit to serving the wishes of local people.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
- We cannot investigate something that affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(7), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr B.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- We generally do not investigate complaints that a particular Council project is a waste of public money. This is because the alleged injustice affects all council tax payers in a local authority’s area. This is all or most residents. We cannot investigate complaints which affect all or most people in a local authority’s area.
- Mr B complains the Council’s scheme to tackle climate change is a waste of public money. Mr B has not suggested he is affected by this scheme in any way other than as a council tax payer. I am satisfied the issue Mr B complains about affects all council tax payers in the Council’s area. This is all or most residents. This means we have no discretion to investigate this complaint.
Final decision
- We cannot investigate Mr B’s complaint because the alleged injustice affects all or most people in the Council’s area.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman