Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X saying that the Council did not clear the debris on a road for four months, as we could not achieve a worthwhile outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X says that the Council did not clear storm debris on a road for four months, so a local farmer stepped in to clear the debris.

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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 no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.(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 says that the Council did not clear storm debris on a road for four months, so a local farmer stepped in to clear the debris off the road.
6. The Council received the complaint in March and proposed sending a contractor to the site in June. Mr X informed the Council that a contractor was no longer needed.
7. I will not investigate this complaint as the debris has been cleared so there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we could not achieve a worthwhile outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman