Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council refused his request to provide him with a larger recycling bin. The Council has now provided Mr X with a larger bin, and an investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve anything further.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council refused his request to provide him with a larger recycling bin.
2. Mr X said the matter caused him frustration. Mr X wanted the Council to provide him with a larger recycling bin.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

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 no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (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 Mr X’s complaint. This is because following his complaint to the Ombudsman, the Council agreed to provide Mr X with a larger recycling bin. An investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome. Therefore, we will not investigate.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman