Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a missed bin collection. The claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement. Additionally, we cannot achieve the outcome sought by Miss X.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council did not empty her waste on one occasion and would not agree to collect additional rubbish bags that accumulated on the next collection date.
2. Miss X said this led to rubbish building up at her house and caused nuisance.

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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, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(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.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Miss X complained the Council refused to empty her waste on one occasion because it told her the rubbish was too compact. Miss X also complained the Council would not agree to collect additional rubbish bags on the next collection date.
7. The Council said it had acted in line with its policy by not emptying the dustbin due to the rubbish being too compact. It also said it could not agree to collect additional rubbish bags on the next collection, because the build-up had been caused by the rubbish being too compact on the previous collection date.
8. Miss X confirmed the Council collected the waste, which it had previously deemed as too compact, on the next collection date.
9. We normally only investigate complaints where somebody has suffered serious loss, harm or distress, or, where there is a continuing injustice being suffered.
10. The injustice claimed by Miss X, because of one missed bin collection, is not significant enough to warrant the costs of a full Ombudsman investigation.
11. Additionally, Miss X wants us to tell the Council to collect the additional rubbish bags and to reduce Council tax. We cannot tell the Council to carry out these actions.
12. For these reasons, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the claimed injustice is not significant enough and we cannot achieve the outcome she seeks.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman