Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council provided him with an incorrect email address regarding his request for a review of his Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiry. This is because an investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council sent him an incorrect email address regarding his request for a review of his Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiry. Mr X says the matter caused him frustration.

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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:

• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. In its complaint response, the Council acknowledged it sent the wrong email address to enable Mr X to request a review of his FOI enquiry. The Council apologised, provided the correct email address, and forwarded his review request to the relevant officer.
6. An investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome, and therefore we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman