London Borough of Newham (24 012 547)
Category : Environment and regulation > Refuse and recycling
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 17 Jan 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about missed bin collections. We could not add to the Council’s response, and it is unlikely an investigation would lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
- Mr X complains that the Council failed to empty his recycling bins in line with the collection schedule. This has put him to time and trouble and he wants financial recognition of this.
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:
- we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, 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 Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X complained the Council failed to consistently empty his recycling bins in line with the collection schedule during July to October 2024.
- Mr X says that this caused him inconvenience as he had to take his bins to a local recycling centre on foot.
- The Council has acknowledged Mr X’s concerns and has apologised for the missed collections. The Council has explained why the collections had been missed and has set out what it is doing to address the problem, including monitoring Mr X’s collections.
- We are satisfied the Council’s response is proportionate and we would not be likely to recommend extra action. The degree of trouble Mr X incurred in disposing of his household waste is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.
Final decision
We will not investigate this complaint. The Council has responded appropriately to Mr X’s concerns, and it is unlikely an investigation would achieve anything more.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman