Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs B’s complaint about the Council’s decision to cut funding for a service her school provides. That because we cannot investigate complaints from public bodies.

The complaint

1. The complainant, Mrs B, has complained on behalf of a community school, about the Council’s decision to cut funding for a service it has provided for over 30 years giving 29 working days’ notice.

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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 complaints from public bodies. (Local Government Act 1974, section 27(1)(a), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I have considered the information Mrs B provided and spoken to her by telephone.

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What I found

5. We cannot investigate Mrs B’s complaint because she is complaining on behalf of a community school. The school is a body which delivers public services to its local community.

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Final decision

6. We cannot investigate Mrs B’s complaint because we cannot investigate complaints from public bodies.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman