Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council used jargon when writing to her rather than plain English. The Council has not caused Ms X injustice and we cannot achieve what she wants. It would not be a good use of limited public resources to investigate.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council’s complaints team sent her a communication written in ‘jargon’ she could not understand. She says that type of language excludes people. Ms X says the Council should send the communication again, written in plain English, and tell its employees to communicate in plain English. The Council’s complaint reply explains why there was a delay in doing a highway repair at a junction and how it decides which repairs have priority.

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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, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

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

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered Ms X’s information and comments. I have read the Council’s communication sent in November 2021 about which Ms X complains.

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My assessment

4. I will not investigate Ms X’s complaint for the following reasons:
5. There is insufficient evidence of fault and we cannot achieve what Ms X wants. Although there are some professional terms, the communication does clearly explain the Council’s approach. The Council says it does regular safety inspections and assesses the risk at a location when deciding which repairs have priority.
6. The Council’s communication has not caused Ms X an injustice and it would not be a good use of limited public resources to investigate.

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Final decision

7. The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council used jargon when writing to her rather than plain English. The Council has not caused Ms X an injustice and we cannot achieve what she wants. It would not be a good use of limited public resources to investigate.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman