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Cost of investigating a complaint

Trevor R Nunn made this Freedom of Information request to Local Government Ombudsmen

The request was successful.

From: Trevor R Nunn

11 September 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to know on what date,

1) the Commission for Local Administration in England started to
factor in the likely cost of an investigation into their decision
whether to investigate a complaint or not?

2) you made the department of Communities and Local Government
aware that you were no longer deciding to investigate complaints
based on merit alone?

3) you made complainants aware that the decision to investigate
their complaint would no longer be made on merit alone?

Yours faithfully,

Trevor Nunn

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Trevor R Nunn left an annotation (12 September 2009)

It has come to my attention that the LGO are now sending out letters to complainants using the cost of investigation their complaint as an additional factor for not doing so.

The LGO already use their discretion not to investigate if they don't think a complainant has suffered enough injustice to warrant an investigation.

They also use their discretion not to investigate a complaint if they don't think the maladministration is bad enough to warrant an investigation.

However, it would now appear that they are also using their discretion not to investigate a complaint if it is going to cost them too much money to do so.

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T Thomas left an annotation (12 September 2009)

You appear to have identified that complainants need to suffer a substantial amount of injustice through a serious act of council maladministration that can be investigated on the cheap before the LGO will agree to investigate their complaint. That can't be right can it?

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From: Foi Officer
Local Government Ombudsmen

16 September 2009

Dear Mr Nunn

Our ref: CS/09/096

This is to acknowledge receipt of your request below.

I have given it the reference number above, and it would be helpful if you
could quote this on any further correspondence about this matter.

We will respond within the 20 working day target (which would be by 9
October 2009) or, if unable to do so, we will write to you again
explaining why.

Yours sincerely

Rob Rundle

Publicity & Information Assistant

Local Government Ombudsman' office

Tel: 020 7217 4686
Website: [1]www.lgo.org.uk

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Anne Hide left an annotation (25 September 2009)

My blog on the subject

http://lgowatcher.blogspot.com/2009/09/l...

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Anne Hide left an annotation (29 September 2009)

Sorry I copied and pasted the link and text above from another of Trevor's FOI requests. The blog is not mine but Trevor Nunn's. Although I agree with most of what he says.

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Trevor R Nunn left an annotation (30 September 2009)

Thank you for linking this FOI request to my blog. It's usually Francis of the WDTK team who does so when I forget.

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From: Foi Officer
Local Government Ombudsmen

5 October 2009

CS 09 096 Nunn.doc
42K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Nunn

Our ref: CS/09/096

I attach a letter in response to the request below.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager
Local Government Ombudsman's Office
Tel: 020 7217 4734
www.lgo.org.uk

NOTICE - This message contains information intended only for the use of the addressee named above. If you have received this message in error please advise us at once and do not make any use of the information.

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