Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the complainant not receiving reminders to renew his overseas voting registration. We could not add to any previous investigation by the Council, nor would further investigation lead to a different outcome. And we cannot achieve the outcome sought.

The complaint

1. The complainant, I shall call Mr K, says he had never received reminders from the Council to renew his overseas voter registration.
2. He wants the Council to send reminders by recorded delivery.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr K and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

6. Mr K has lived abroad since 2011. He says he has never received a reminder to renew his overseas voter registration. He says he has to fill in a new registration form each year, instead of signing a declaration.
7. The Council says reminders have been sent. It has provided copies of its electronic records which show the letters being generated. It has also offered to send Mr K reminders by email to avoid postal issues.
8. I will not investigate this complaint. The Council has provided copies of the records to show the reminders were sent. I cannot say that it is the Council’s fault if the letters did not arrive. It is unlikely that further investigation will add to the information already provided by the Council.
9. Mr K wants the Council to send letters to him using recorded delivery. The Council has offered to send the reminders by email.

Back to top

Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr K’s complaint. We could not add to any previous investigation by the Council. Nor will further investigation lead to a different outcome. Finally, we cannot require the Council to send his letters by recorded delivery.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman