Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s advertisement for a volunteer position at a local charity Ms X said was unsafe. There is insufficient evidence of fault, and an investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve any other outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained about the Council’s advertisement of a volunteer position at a local charity. Ms X says the charity is unsuitable and promotes ideology which could cause harm to children.

Back to top

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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

5. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint. In its complaint response, the Council explained how it ensures volunteer roles it advertises are vetted. Based on the information seen, there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman, and an investigation is unlikely to achieve any further outcome.

Back to top

Final decision

6. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault and an investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve a different outcome.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman