The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council gave no notice of a cancelled meeting as the injustice arising from this is not sufficient to justify our further involvement.
The complaint
Mr X complains the Council failed to keep to a scheduled appointment for a meeting with him and failed to inform him until later that day why it had failed to meet with him. Mr X is unhappy as he says no apology was offered and the blame was shifted on to him. Mr X says this caused him emotional and mental harm as he was experiencing ongoing difficulties, caused he says, by the Council. Mr X seeks a monetary payment from the Council of £1000.
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 fault has not caused significant injustice to the person who complained.
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
I recognise Mr X’s strength of feeling about the missed appointment but from our perspective, in isolation, this does not represent a level of loss or harm to him that would warrant our further involvement. We have limited resources and must direct them to the most serious cases. I do not consider this is such a case.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because any injustice caused to him by Council fault is not sufficient to justify our further involvement.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman