Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refuse crew giving false information in response to a report about a missed garden waste collection. We do not consider the complainant has suffered a significant personal injustice which warrants an investigation.

The complaint

1. X complains the Council refuses to investigate their concerns that the refuse crew gave a false report when they notified the Council of a missed garden waste collection.
2. X says this has undermined their trust in the service and they have not received the service they paid for.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by X.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. X is concerned the refuse crew gave false information in response to their report of a missed garden waste collection and this has undermined their trust in the Council. However, in their correspondence with the Council, X confirms there have been no problems with collections since they made their complaint.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate X’s complaint because whilst I understand they lost trust in the service provided by the Council, I do not consider this is a significant personal injustice which warrants an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman