The complaint
Mr X complained about the actions of social workers and the accuracy of information the Council provided to the family court.
Mr X said this caused distress.
Mr X wants the Council to correct the data and inform the court it has done so.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
We cannot investigate a complaint about the start of court action or what happened in court. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5/5A, paragraph 1/3, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Mr X.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
Final decision
We cannot investigate X’s complaint because the law prevents us from investigating what happens in court. This includes the preparation and contents of reports that councils present during proceedings.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman