Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mrs X having to remind a refuse collection contractor to collect her bin. This is because any injustice arising is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains that her ‘assisted’ bin collection would have been missed if she had not rushed outside to ask the refuse contractor to collect her bin. She also says she had to ask the refuse contractor to replace the lid on her bin.
2. She says this breaches the Council’s previous agreements to provide her with an assisted bin collection due to her disabilities. She would like to be compensated for the stress and inconvenience caused to her.

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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 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

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and her previous complaint about her assisted collection (24010977).
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The Council has investigated Mrs X’s concerns and apologised to Mrs X for her actions.
7. The Council has apologised that due to the ongoing strike action ‘third parties’ are involved in refuse collection. The Council advises the contractors were advised to pay attention to her address. It upholds her complaint and says a visit to her address plus its remainder to contractors should improve the situation.
8. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation.
9. We will not investigate. While I appreciate Mrs X was put to some trouble having to go out and remind the contractor, there is insufficient evidence of an injustice to justify an investigation.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman