Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s complaint responses to Mr X’s concerns about the Council’s programme for Black History Month. This is because we cannot achieve Mr X’s requested outcomes.

The complaint

1. Mr X says the Council has delayed sending comprehensive responses to his concerns about its programme of events for Black History Month (BHM).
2. He would like the Council to put on his films in October 2022 and allow him to contribute to events held all year round.

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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 cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

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

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant which includes the Council’s responses.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The background to this complaint involves Mr X making several complaints to the Council making comments and raising concerns with the Council’s programme of events for BHM. The Council has sent several responses addressing Mr X’s concerns.
7. In this complaint Mr X has complained about the lack of black men involved in organising events and also says the events are not relevant to Black British people within Haringey. He wants the Council to work with him and screen his films.
8. The Council’s substantive response (10 November 2021) says it works with various partners and community members over the year when planning BHM events. It considers the programme to be inclusive and representative. It did not uphold his complaint.
9. The Ombudsman will not investigate as we cannot achieve the outcomes wanted. There is no obligation on the Council to accede to Mr X’s desired outcomes so we will not consider the adequacy of its complaint responses. We do not investigate the complaints handling when we are not considering the main issues in the complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we cannot achieve his desired outcomes.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman