Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to continue to restrict contact with the complainant. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. The complainant, I shall call Mrs X, complains the Council has decided to restrict her contact with it for another year.
2. She says she should be able to access services the same as other council tax payers. Instead, she has to deal with a specific person which causes delays.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in the decision making, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. We have seen no evidence to show the Council has failed to follow the procedures laid out in its Persistent or vexatious customer policy and guidance before deciding to restrict contact with her for another year. Without evidence of fault in the decision-making process we cannot question the merits of the decision itself.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman