Summary: We will not investigate Mr C’s complaint about a missed garden waste collection. This is because Mr C has not suffered a serious or significant injustice which would justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr C, who has subscribed to the Council’s garden waste collection service, complains the Council did not offer a suitable remedy after a missed collection.

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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 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))
3. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr C.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

6. The alleged fault by the Council has not caused Mr C a serious or significant injustice which would justify public money being spent on an investigation or the pursuit of a remedy by the Ombudsman. So, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman