Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about refuse bins being left in the road as there is insufficient injustice caused to the person complaining to warrant our further involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains Council operatives are leaving his waste bins on the road, instead of returning them to outside his house. Mr X says this happens weekly and that he often has to move bins from his cul-de-sac, before he can leave his house in his car.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. While I recognize Mr X is caused some inconvenience from waste bins being left in the road, I do not consider this represents a level of injustice sufficient to warrant our involvement. We will not therefore investigate.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the impact on him is not serious enough, from our perspective, to warrant our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman