Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council failed to empty her bin on one occasion. This is because the injustice claimed is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council failed to collect her refuse bin. Ms X said the matter caused her frustration and inconvenience. Ms X wants the Council to empty her bin.

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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, 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. We will not investigate the Council’s failure to collect Ms X’s bin on one occasion. This is because during a subsequent bin collection the Council emptied the bin.
6. Ms X’s claimed injustice for the Council failing to collect her bin on one occasion is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman, and therefore we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman