London Borough of Tower Hamlets (24 007 714)

Category : Other Categories > Other

Decision : Closed after initial enquiries

Decision date : 15 Aug 2024

The Ombudsman's final decision:

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about what happened during a telephone conversation where Mrs X says a Council officer put the telephone down on her abruptly. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We are unlikely to find evidence of fault warranting an investigation.

The complaint

  1. Mrs X complains about the Council’s response to her complaint about a officer putting down the telephone down on her abruptly.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

  1. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
  2. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:
  • We are unlikely to find fault to justify investigating,
  • we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

  1. I considered information provided by the complainant that includes the Council’s response.
  2. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

  1. The Council’s response to the complaint says the officer explained to Mrs X that he had to rush off to an emergency situation at A&E before he ended the call. And that this has been witnessed by a different colleague. The Council’s response also included an apology from the officer in question for being abrupt.
  2. We will not investigate. We are unlikely to find fault in the Council’s response.
  3. I have seen information showing the Council investigated, reported there is a witness who confirmed an explanation was provided during the telephone call and fed back to Mrs X with an apology. We are unlikely to be able to add to the Council’s response by further investigation so we will not investigate.

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Final decision

  1. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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