Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council leaving refuse bins on her drive. This is because an investigation is unlikely to add to that already carried out by the Council or lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the refuse collections for her property. She says the Council keep leaving bins on her driveway, blocking it. She says that she has raised this to the Council, but it has not prevented the issue from reoccurring.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mrs X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mrs X complains that after refuse collections, bins were left blocking her driveway. The Council in its stage one response upheld her complaint, apologised and raised the matter with a supervisor for the refuse collectors.
6. After Mrs X reported the issue again, the Council escalated the matter to a collection manager. It said the crew would be called in for a meeting to discuss their performance. It also stated that a supervisor would be responsible for monitoring collections until they are satisfied the crew was following the correct process for emptying bins. Also, a waste officer would carry out periodic monitoring to ensure the supervisor is fulfilling their obligations.
7. The Council said that if the issue persisted, after these interventions, it would carry out a long-term period of intensive monitoring.
8. Although I note that Mrs X is unhappy with the response from the Council, I consider its actions to be appropriate in the circumstances. It follows that any investigation is unlikely to add to the Council’s or lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because an investigation is unlikely to add to that already carried out by the Council or lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman