Middlesbrough Borough Council (23 016 064)
Category : Transport and highways > Street furniture and lighting
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 27 Feb 2024
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about broken bus stop doors at the bus station. This is because an investigation by this office could not add to the response the Council has already provided via its own investigation.
The complaint
- The complainant, whom I shall call Mr X, complains about broken bus stop doors at the bus station which cause the bus station to be too cold.
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 effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
- We do not start an investigation if we decide:
- there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
- we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation. (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
- Mr X complained to the Council about a number of bus stop doors at the bus station being broken, causing the bus station to be too cold.
- In response, the Council explained it was aware of the issue and its contractors would be assessing and scheduling repairs to the door in the coming weeks.
- We will not investigate this complaint. This is because a further investigation by this office would not be able to add to the response the Council has provided via its own investigation. The issue had already been noted and the Council is taking suitable action to fix the doors. There is no sign of fault in the way the Council has responded to Mr X on this matter and there is nothing further we would add.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation by this office would not add to the response the Council has already provided via its own investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman