The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Council officer not taking a flattened cardboard box the complainant left on top of his recycling bin as part of the recycling collection. This is because the matter has not caused the complainant a significant personal injustice which would merit an investigation.
The complaint
The complainant, whom I shall call Mr X, complains a Council officer did not collect a flattened cardboard box he left on top of his recycling bin for collection but instead dropped it and left it on the floor.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended) We can decide whether to start an investigation into a complaint within our jurisdiction. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 24A(6) and 34B(8), as amended) We do not start an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X complained a Council officer failed to collect a flattened cardboard box he placed on top of his recycling bin for collection. Instead of taking the box with the rest of the recycling the officer dropped it on the floor and left it. Mr X says this is not the first time this has happened and he is not the only person this has happened to.
Mr X disagrees with the explanation the Council has provided via its complaint responses about why the box was not collected.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because the matter complained about has not caused Mr X a significant personal injustice which would merit an investigation and it would not be a good use of limited public resources to investigate.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman