Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about missed food waste collections. This is because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council failed to collect her food waste bin. She says the Council stated her bin was contaminated and did not provide any evidence of this. She wants compensation for the missed collections.

Back to top

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:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

5. In November 2025, Miss X says the Council said her food waste bin was contaminated. She says there was no tag on her bin to advise her of this, and the Council did not provide any evidence when she asked for it.
6. The Council explained the collection crew considered the food bin to be contaminated. After Miss X complained, it apologised that the crew had not correctly tagged the bag to explain why it had not been emptied. It said it would remind collection crews to correctly identify and record contaminated bins, apply the correct tags and ensure contaminated food waste bins are emptied as refuse.
7. I appreciate that missed food waste collections caused Miss X frustration and inconvenience. However, the Council has apologised and said it would remind collection crew supervisors to correctly identify and record contaminated food waste, apply the correct tags and ensure contaminated food bins are emptied as refuse. We could not achieve anything further for Miss X.
8. If we were to investigate, we could not reach a view on whether the bin was contaminated. Therefore, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Back to top

Final decision

9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman