Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about information shared on the Council’s social media account. This is because the complainant has not suffered significant personal injustice.

The complaint

1. Mr X has complained about a post shared on the Council’s social media account. He says the post breached the Local Government Act and failed to comply with the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity. Mr X says the matter has left him uncertain whether the Council is complying with its statutory duties and says its actions undermine public confidence.

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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 fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• 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 Mr X and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X says the Council’s social media post breached the Local Government Act and did not comply with the publicity code. However, I do not consider Mr X has suffered any significant personal injustice by the matter that would warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman. The social media post he has complained about has also now been removed.

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he has not suffered significant personal injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman