Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council removing Ms X from its electoral roll. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X said she discovered in 2021 the Council had wrongly removed her from the electoral roll in its area. She also said the Council had forced her out of its area. She said this affected her credit score.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The documents Ms X provided shows she was living in another council’s area from the summer of 2020 at the latest. The Council could remove her from its electoral roll when she moved away.
6. Although the documents Ms X supplied ran to over 200 pages, her complaint did not include any other matters involving the Council that would be potential fault. Most of it related to other public bodies and commercial organisations.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant this.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman