Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s provision of access to the electoral register. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. Any injustice there may have been from the fault Mr X alleges, is not significant enough to warrant further investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X said the Council removed open access to the electoral register at a library he uses. Mr X said it was his view the Council did this without consultation and he wants to be able to access this information in the manner he did before.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (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 the complainant and I considered the Council’s response to Mr X’s complaint.
4. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because any injustice there may be, because of the fault Mr X alleges, is not significant enough to warrant further investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman