Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council made a false accusation against her and then did not handle her complaint properly. This is because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council wrongly blamed her for formatting an email in such a way that the Council overlooked it. Ms X found this deeply upsetting. She is also unhappy with the Council’s complaint handling.

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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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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman