The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council operates a leisure centre. This is because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.
The complaint
Ms X complained the Council did not respond to her complaint about staff at a leisure centre.
She said it did not implement improvements it committed to after she submitted feedback on behalf of the community.
She said the issues significantly affected her peace of mind. She wants the Council to make an improvement plan, ensure timetables are inclusive and for the centre to operate consistently and safely.
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, or further investigation would not lead to a different outcome (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
We will not investigate this complaint for the following reasons: 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 by an organisation. In addition, we will not normally investigate a complaint where the complainant is using their enquiry as a way of raising a wider community campaign about something of general concern, but where they have not suffered injustice.
Ms X said the Council did not respond to her complaint about leisure centre staff. In its complaint response the Council said the leisure centre management changed in January 2026. It explained measures are in place for oversite of the staff and making improvements. It said there is senior oversite to deal with Ms X’s concerns. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures, if we are unable to deal with the substantive issue
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman