North Northamptonshire Council (25 003 177)
Category : Environment and regulation > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 29 Jul 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delays caused when a refuse vehicle failed to pull over to allow Mr X to pass. This is because the injustice caused to him is not significant enough to justify an investigation.
The complaint
- Mr X complains one of the Council’s refuse lorries did not allow him to pass it in his vehicle. Mr X also complains of poor communication and delays in the complaint process.
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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered the information provided by the complainant and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- A refuse collection lorry operated by the Council did not pull over to allow Mr X sufficient room to pass it in his vehicle. Mr X complains the lorry had sufficient room to pull over and was inconsiderate to him as a driver.
- The Council have stated their operatives are regularly reminded to make allowances for other road users, but that they need to exercise their professional judgement.
- I recognise Mr X is unhappy at the Council’s response, but we will not investigate as the injustice caused is not significant enough to justify our involvement.
- Mr X also complains of poor communication and delays in the complaint process.
- We will also not investigate how the Council dealt with Mr X’s complaint as it is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint handling when we are not looking at the substantive issue.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the injustice caused to him is not significant enough to justify an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman