Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council ignored his service requests after it decided he was a vexatious complainant. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council ignored his service requests after it decided he was a vexatious complainant. He also complained about the Council’s decision to label him as vexatious and that it had discriminated against him after it asked him to put his complaints in writing. Mr X wants the Council to reinstate services and apologise to him.

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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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (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 the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council has not responded to his service requests. The Council has written to Mr X in response to concerns he has raised about his rubbish bin, blue badge, housing needs and housing register application. It has also responded to complaints he has made around planning and parking issues. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.
6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council has made him a vexatious complainant and placed restrictions upon his contact. The Council has written to Mr X and set out the reasons for the restrictions including examples of his behaviour. It has reviewed those restrictions in line with its policy. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.
7. Mr X said the Council failed to make reasonable adjustments for him as he had to submit complaints in writing. The Council has provided Mr X a voicemail he can leave messages on to make service requests or complaints. It has said if Mr X has difficulties accessing online services it will provide support. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council has considered reasonable adjustments for Mr X to justify investigating.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman