Chorley Borough Council (25 009 113)
Category : Other Categories > Leisure and culture
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 20 Oct 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with a dispute between two groups that use a community centre. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
The complaint
- Mrs X runs a group that use a space in a Council community centre. She complains about how the Council dealt with her concerns about the actions of another group that used the same centre.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mrs X raised concerns about the behaviours of another group that used the same community centre as her group.
- In response to Mrs X’s concerns, the Council attempted to arrange mediation. When it became clear that both groups could no longer use the same community centre at the same time, the Council determined that, for operational reasons, Mrs X’s group would need to change either the time of their booking or the location. The group subsequently accepted a booking at a different centre.
- I will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. Its approach was proportionate to the circumstances, and it fully justified its reason to ask Mrs X’s group to change their booking, rather than the other group.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman