Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council’s waste collection contractor left bins at the entrance to his home. We cannot add to the previous investigation completed by the Council.

The complaint

1. Mr B complains the Council failed to address the non-return of bins to the original place the bins were left before being collected. Mr B says his neighbours bins block their driveway for entering and exiting the property. Mr B says he has complained to the Council about this issue repeatedly. He says the matter causes him frustration and anxiety he may be involved in a road traffic accident when moving the bins out of the way. Mr B wants the Council to ensure its contractor for waste return bins to where they should go.

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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 fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(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. Mr B complained to the Council in mid-2025 about the way its waste collection contractor had left bins at the end of his driveway after each collection. He said the Council’s contractor had left the bins in a way that blocked his driveway. Because of this he had to stop his car on a busy road so he could get out and move the bins so he could enter his driveway. Mr B said this was dangerous and provided photographs to highlight the issue. Mr B wanted the Council to ensure its contractor left the wheeled bins in a way that did not block his driveway.
6. The Council responded to the complaint and said it had shared the issue and photographs with its contractor. It said wheeled bins should be returned within two metres of the original collection point and not left in a manner which obstructs driveways and footways. It upheld Mr B’s complaint as it had previously raised the matter with its waste contractor and there had been no improvement.
7. Mr B escalated his complaint to stage two of the Council’s complaints procedure. He said there was a bin blocking his driveway following the waste collection the day before.
8. The Council reinvestigated the complaint. It reviewed the photographs Mr B provided and a waste officer completed a site assessment. The officer measured Mr B’s driveway and said it was wide enough to allow sufficient vehicular access even with a standard size wheeled bin placed nearby. It said the bin was placed within the contractual two-metre allowance from the designated collection point and was not positioned in a way that blocked the driveway or prevented entry or exit.
9. As an alternative the Council said future its contractor could collect the bin from the gate outside Mr B’s property rather than the driveway. The Council said the suggested new location would allow adequate space for pedestrians to pass and would help to avoid the need for Mr B to stop his car on the road to move the bin. It said this would improve safety and accessibility.
10. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because we could not add to the investigation already completed by the Council. The Council accepted its contractor had not improved when it became aware of the issue. After further investigating the matter, it recommended an alternative location to Mr B where its contractor would collect the bins from. This will likely minimise the risks associated with the matter he complained about. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because we cannot add to the previous investigation completed by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman