Summary: We will not investigate delays in handling Mr X’s complaint about councillors. There is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council delayed in handling his complaints about councillors.

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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 no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council has now completed its handling of Mr X’s complaints and apologised for the delays. This is appropriate to remedy any injustice it caused him. Therefore, further investigation would achieve nothing meaningful.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would achieve nothing meaningful.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman