Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s waste collection service. This is because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained about the Council’s waste collection service. The matter caused her frustration. She wants the Council to take action to prevent missed waste collections.

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

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My assessment

5. Miss X said over the last year, the Council has missed her waste collection more than seven times. She said each time she has reported a missed collection, the Council has said its refuse team will return to collect her waste however, this has never happened.
6. We usually investigate complaints where the complainant has experienced serious harm or distress as a direct result of the Council’s actions. We recognise the injustice caused to Miss X however, we do not consider it to be significant enough to warrant an investigation. We will therefore not investigate her complaint.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman