Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council shared inaccurate information about him. This is because the Information Commissioner is better placed to deal with the matter.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council shared inaccurate information about him with another council and is refusing to rectify its records.

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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 there is another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. We normally expect someone to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner if they have a complaint about data protection. However, we may decide to investigate if we think there are good reasons. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) was set up by Parliament to consider data protection disputes, which includes ‘right to rectification’ disputes. The ICO are better placed than us to consider if the Council should change its records or if it committed a data breach by sharing inaccurate information about Mr X.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the ICO is better placed to consider it.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman