Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with a complaint about a Town Council. This is because we have no jurisdiction to investigate the actions of town councils so cannot achieve the outcome Mr X seeks.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council refused to consider his concerns that a Town Council had refused to provide him with information that he requested. Mr X wants the Council to ensure the Town Council sends him the information.

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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 we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. We investigate complaints about councils and certain other bodies. We cannot investigate the actions of bodies such as parish or town councils. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 25 and 34(1), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. Parish councils are not within our legal remit. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because of this and because we cannot achieve the outcome he seeks or any meaningful outcome. We have no power to compel the Town Council to provide Mr X the information he seeks.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcome he seeks.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman