Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint that the Council wrongly decided their property was suitable for a new wheeled bin collection. The Council agreed to return to collecting refuse sacks from X’s property and further investigation by us would not achieve a different outcome.

The complaint

1. X complained about the Council’s decision to change their waste collection from sacks to wheeled bins and its review of that decision.
2. X said their property is not suitable for wheeled bins as they have no room to store them. They also said the Council had not consulted before making the change.
3. X said the Council’s decision caused them distress and inconvenience. X wanted the Council to review its decision.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

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

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code. 

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My assessment

7. In 2024 the Council approved changes to its waste collection service. It previously collected sacks but decided to replace this service with three wheeled bins per property. As part of the changes the Council said it would assess the suitability of every property in its area for a wheeled bin collection.
8. The Council offered all households a right of review against its decision as an alternative to its complaints process.
9. The Council decided X’s property was suitable for wheeled bins. X asked for a stage one review, but the Council maintained its decision. However, at stage two the Council agreed X’s request and reverted to collecting refuse sacks from X’s property.
10. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council was entitled to change how it collected waste including the containers it provides to do so. Based on the evidence seen there is insufficient evidence of fault in how the Council implemented the changes to its waste collections, and so we will not investigate.
11. We will also not investigate X’s complaint that the Council’s review decision was wrong. The Council followed its processes when it carried out X’s review. It considered the information they provided against its criteria for determining whether a property was suitable for a wheeled bin collection. It told X about assisted collections, as they had explained their medical conditions that meant they would struggle with lifting and pulling wheeled bins. The Council decided at stage two it would allow X to return to refuse sacks.
12. There is nothing further we could achieve by investigating this complaint. It is not therefore proportionate to investigate the matter.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate X’s complaint because further investigation by us would not achieve a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman