The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of public bins. This is because there is not significant enough personal injustice to warrant investigation.
The complaint
Mr X complains the Council is not using the appropriate bin liners in its public bins. He says this means recyclable waste is not being separated from non-recyclable waste, which means all waste is going to landfill. He says this is causing him stress. He wants the Council to better monitor how public waste is being managed.
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 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))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Mr X.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
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. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
Although I recognise the subject of the complaint is important to Mr X, I do not consider there has been significant enough personal injustice to warrant the Ombudsman devoting time and public money to investigation.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough significant personal injustice to warrant investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman