Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to respond to complaints he made about two Council officers. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to properly consider complaints he made about two Council officers.

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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))

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How I considered this complaint

2. I considered information provided by the complainant.
3. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X complained about the technical information provided by two Council officers during a planning application.
5. The Council declined to consider Mr X’s complaints through its corporate complaints procedure. It said any concerns should have been raised through the planning process.
6. We will not investigate this complaint. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision not to accept Mr X’s complaints because the substantive matters were too closely linked to a previously decided planning application. It cited the fact that Mr X wanted the planning permission to be revoked or reconsidered as an outcome as further evidence the corporate route was not appropriate.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because here is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman