Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to send invitations to renew garden waste collection subscriptions by email. The re is not enough evidence of fault in the Council's actions to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to send him a reminder to renew his green waste collection subscription by post. It now refuses to meet him or allow him to renew his subscription.

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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 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

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

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My assessment

5. In 2024, Mr X’s friend renewed his garden waste collection subscription for him. The friend’s email address was left as the contact details for the Council.
6. In January 2025 the Council sent notices to all subscribers, inviting them to renew their subscription to the garden waste collection service for the coming year. In February the Council sent a further reminder advising renewals must be paid for by March.
7. Unknown to the Council, Mr X’s friend no longer uses the email address he provided.
8. Mr X discovered he had missed the renewal deadline. He complained to the Council that he had not received a renewal letter in the post and wanted to pay for the subscription for 2025/26.
9. The Council explained that where email addresses are held, it sends renewals by email. It advised Mr X the deadline for payment had passed and the subscription was full. It is not possible for Mr X to make a late payment for the service. It also placed Mr X on the waiting list and gave him the name and contact details of alternative service providers in the area.
10. I understand Mr X is unhappy that he did not receive a renewal invitation by post. However the Council is entitled to rely on the contact details provided by the subscribers. Neither Mr X nor his neighbour advised the Council of a change in his contact details.
11. Mr X is also unhappy the Council will not meet him to discuss his concerns. But there is no obligation on the Council to do so.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we have not seen enough evidence of fault in the Council’s actions to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman