Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s garden waste collection fees. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, and any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council removed the option to pay for garden waste collections over a two- and three-year period without notice. He said this has caused him an 47.5% price increase and time spent pursuing his complaint. He wanted the Council to reintroduce the two- and three-year price options and refund the difference in price for the current subscription year.

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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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• 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

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

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My assessment

5. Mr X complained the Council removed the option to subscribe to garden waste collections over a two- and three-year period in 2025. The multiple year subscriptions had previously offered a lower price per year for garden waste collection. Mr X said that the 2025 garden waste collection charge was more than he had previously paid per year.
6. In its complaint response, the Council said the terms and conditions of the garden waste subscription stated that subscribers would be notified 30 days before their contract was due to expire. This notice would set out the terms of the contract renewal. The Council said Mr X was notified in late April 2025 that his subscription would expire in early June 2025, and set out the renewal terms including the updated annual subscription price of £91.78.
7. We will not investigate this complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. The Council informed Mr X of the renewal terms for garden waste collections in line with the terms and conditions of his previous subscription.
8. The increase in costs to Mr X is around £30 per year. This price increase is not a sufficient injustice to warrant an investigation. Unlike other council services and fees, garden waste collection is an opt-in service and subscription is not mandatory. if Mr X is unhappy with the cost of the service, he can find alternative means of removing his garden waste.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating and any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman