The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to collect his garden waste in the year 2025/26 because the claimed injustice is not significant enough.
The complaint
Mr X complained the Council failed to provide the garden waste collection service he paid for in the year 2025/26.
Mr X said the matter caused him frustration.
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 the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
We will not investigate this complaint. 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.
The cost of the garden waste subscription service is £50. The claimed injustice is therefore not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman, and so we will not investigate this complaint.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the claimed injustice is not significant enough.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman