Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to demolish two shopping centres as part of a regeneration project. This is because the injustice is not significant enough to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council did not consult the public before deciding to demolish two shopping centres. She says residents feel ignored by the Council and dislike the new market. Miss X wants the Council to consult the public and says the public want the former shopping centres to remain open.

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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:

• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (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 Miss X.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council decided to demolish two shopping centres as part of a wider regeneration project. There was a public consultation about the regeneration project.
6. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
7. Miss X says people do not like the new indoor market and no longer want to shop in the area. People, and Miss X, are free to shop where they wish and can display their dissatisfaction by shopping elsewhere. I appreciate Miss X might regret no longer being able to use the previous shopping centres. However, I do not consider Miss X has presented significant personal injustice to warrant investigation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the injustice is not significant enough to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman