Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled his complaint. This is because any injustice caused to Mr X is not significant enough to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about how the Council handled his complaint.

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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 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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X complains about how the Council handled his complaint about an officer at the Council. We do not usually investigate complaint handling where we are not investigating the substantive issue.
6. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. I consider any injustice caused to Mr X is not significant enough to justify an investigation by the Ombudsman.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because any injustice caused by the actions of the Council is not significant enough to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman