Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council responded to Mrs X’s enquiry about voluntary litter picking. There is no evidence of Mrs X suffering a significant injustice.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained the Council did not act appropriately when she enquired about voluntary litter picking. She said it did not provide appropriate equipment or complete a risk assessment.

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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 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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In October 2025, Mrs X asked the Council for litter picking equipment so she could voluntarily litter pick in her local area.
6. Mrs X complained the Council did not offer to provide gloves or complete a risk assessment. Instead, the Council offered bin bags and a litter picker.
7. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide the impact of the fault a person complains about is not so significant that we should investigate.
8. In this case, there is no evidence Mrs X has suffered a significant injustice because of the Council’s actions. If she was unhappy with the Council’s response, she had a right to withdraw her offer of voluntary litter picking.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is no evidence of her suffering a significant injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman