Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of a coroner. Such actions are not administrative functions of the Council and are therefore not within our jurisdiction.

The complaint

1. Dr X complains that the Council refused to consider her complaint about poor service from the Coroner’s Office. She says the Coroner’s Office provided cold, dismissive and inadequate communication, worsening her grief. Dr X wants the Council to investigate the poor service its Coroners provide.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate complaints about actions which are not the administrative function of a council. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(1) 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. The Ombudsman has limited jurisdiction to look at complaints about the actions of the coroner’s office. Coroners are judicial office holders and not employees of the council.
7. The coroner’s service is funded by councils which usually provide the coroner with administrative support. The Ministry of Justice publish a set of service standards which the coroner’s office should follow.
8. Generally, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office deals with complaints about the personal conduct of coroners.
9. We cannot consider a complaint about the actions of the coroner as they are not within our jurisdiction.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Dr X’s complaint because the actions of coroners are not matters that fall within our jurisdiction.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman