Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council wrongly decided her property was suitable for its new wheeled bin collection. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained about the Council’s decision to change her waste collection from sacks to wheeled bins and its review of that decision. She says her property is not suitable for the wheeled bins as there is not enough space to store them. She wants the Council to allow her to remain on waste sack collection or provide her with smaller bins.  

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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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B)) 
3. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. 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.  
7. The Council offered all households a right of review against its decision as an alternative to its complaints process.  
8. The Council decided Ms X’s property was suitable for wheeled bins. Ms X asked for a review, but the Council maintained its decision.  
9. 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.  
10. We will also not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision that her property is suitable for the wheeled bins. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we will not replace our decision with one that has been correctly made. The Council followed its processes when it carried out Ms X’s review. It considered the information provided against its criteria for determining whether her property was suitable. Although I accept Ms X does not agree with the decision, there was insufficient evidence of fault in how the decision was reached to justify an investigation.   

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation. 

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman