Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a note posted through the complainant’s door. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We could not add anything to the Council’s response.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall refer to as Miss X, complained about an unsigned note a council employee posted through her door. Miss X wants to know why she received a note, but her neighbours did not.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. In response to Miss X’s complaint the Council said the note was left following a visit to the area because of recycling being blown around on collection day. The Council was sorry the note had not been signed. The Council confirmed where Miss X could store her recycling bins and steps the Council is taking to try and minimise waste blowing around.
6. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. The Council has provided a proportionate and reasonable response. We could not achieve anything more or add anything to the Council’s response.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. An investigation would not add anything to the response Miss X has already received.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman