Milton Keynes Council (25 009 012)
Category : Other Categories > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 01 Apr 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to properly advise Miss X regarding her notice of marriage. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
The complaint
- Miss X complained a Council employee gave her incorrect information regarding her notice of marriage.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
- further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X complained after a Council employee gave her incorrect information about her notice to marriage, meaning she had to pay a £130 late notice charge. She also complained the Council employees she spoke to were unempathetic and unprofessional.
- The Council acknowledged that the employee gave Miss X the wrong advice and apologised. The Council refunded Miss X the late notice charge fee and advised that it had retrained its staff to ensure this issue would not reoccur.
- Miss X remains unhappy with the Council’s actions. The evidence shows the Council has accepted responsibility for what happened and refunded Miss X the money she paid. This is what we would expect the Council to do as it is proportionate to what happened. An investigation would therefore be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman