Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council failed to complete assisted bin collections. This is because further investigation would not lead t a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained that the Council failed to complete an agreed assisted bin collection for Mr Y. Ms X said the bins have been repeatedly left uncollected or not returned to their original place.
2. Ms X said that Mr Y is a vulnerable resident, and the Council has caused him distress due to his dementia diagnosis. She wants the Council to provide a formal apology and ensure bins are collected and returned on the correct dates.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3.  
4. 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 further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. Ms X reported missed assisted collections at Mr Y’s property to the Council. The Council apologised for the failed collections and said it would monitor them to resolve the issue.
8. Ms X reported the Council did not return the bins back to Mr Y’s property on several occasions which caused him distress. The Council responded to Ms X’s complaint and apologised. It said it would check the next two collections to ensure the bins were returned to the property.
9. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council’s records confirm that there were no issues with the next two assisted collections, the bin was returned to the correct place and there have been no further reports of missed collections. Therefore, there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by the Ombudsman investigating this complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman