Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the content of the Council’s publications. There is no significant personal injustice.

The complaint

1. Mr X was unhappy with the content of the Council’s news publications. He said the Council’s constitution meant the publications it released, should not show political bias and he was concerned about whether the Council was compliant with its own policy, following some recent news items.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (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 and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X wrote to the Council and complained about the content of its quarterly newsletters. He said they appeared to show political bias, and he was concerned that local taxpayers should not fund these publications.
5. We will not normally investigate a complaint unless there is good reason to believe that the complainant has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the Council. Therefore, we will not investigate this complaint, because Mr X’s alleged loss or injustice is not sufficiently serious or significant enough.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no significant personal injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman