Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s consideration of an alleged breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct. This is because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X says the Council failed to properly investigate a complaint he made about a Councillor who made false and disrespectful comments about him on the internet. Mr X feels bullied and harassed by the Councillor’s comments which he says were damaging to his reputation. Mr X wants the Council to ask the Councillor to resign.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The comment the Councillor made about Mr X could be interpreted in different ways and was limited to a single instance. Therefore, it would not be an efficient use of our resources to investigate this complaint as there is no significant injustice to Mr X.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman