Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about recycling collections. This is because the issue stems from industrial strike action by the Council’s refuse collection crews and is a matter which affects all or most of the people in the Council’s area.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council has failed to collect his recycling, increasing the amount of waste he has to store at his property. He wants the Council to provide an alternative service and a remedy.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate something we decide affects all or most of the people in a council’s area. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. The Council’s refuse collection crews began industrial strike action. This resulted in missed collections for a large proportion of the Council’s residents and a backlog of reports which the Council is trying to clear. The industrial action also affected recycling collections.
7. While I appreciate Mr X is unhappy the Council has not provided recycling collections, he is affected by these issues in the same or a similar way as ‘all or most’ of the residents in the Council’s area. The exclusion set out at Paragraph 3 therefore applies.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because it is about an issue which affects all or most of the people in the Council’s area.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman