Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about missed garden waste collections. This is because the Council has already proposed a reasonable and proportionate remedy and it is unlikely further investigation would achieve anything more for Mr X.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council missed several garden waste collections. He says this left him with a full bin and he had to use alternate means to dispose of the waste. He wants the Council to refund him for the missed collections.

Back to top

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:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or
• there is another body better placed to consider this complaint, or
• it would be reasonable for the person to ask for a council review or appeal; or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

5. The Council decided to temporarily suspend its optional garden waste collection service across its area, due to staff shortage. It says this was a policy adopted to allow it to concentrate resources on general and recycling waste collections, which it has a statutory obligation to provide.
6. The garden waste collection is an optional service, for which Mr X paid an annual fee. Subscriptions cost £49 for the first bin plus £40 for any additional bins.
7. The service entitled residents to 20 collections and Mr X says it has missed four. The Council considered how to compensate subscribers for the missed collections, and decided to offer a £10 refund or discount on service renewal for 2026/27. I consider this to be a proportionate and reasonable remedy for Mr X and further investigation is therefore not warranted.

Back to top

Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Council has already offered a reasonable and proportionate remedy, so an investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman