A COMPLAINT alleging Warrington Borough Council prevented a man from seeing his girlfriend has been dismissed.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman independently investigates complaints by the public about maladministration and service failure from councils, adult social care providers and some other organisations providing public services.

It must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint.

The complainant, named as Mr X, claimed the council has prevented him from seeing his girlfriend.

Mr X said the authority’s employees were ‘intimidating his girlfriend to stop her seeing him’.

In the decision notice, the Ombudsman said: “Mr X says his girlfriend is not able to complain without his help.

“Mr X provided the council’s reply to his complaint. The council says it is not providing Mr X with any service connected to this.

“It says his girlfriend has discretion over her contact with Mr X and it is her choice.”

The Ombudsman decided not to investigate this complaint.

“This is because the council’s actions have not directly affected his contact with his girlfriend,” it added, in the decision notice.

The council did not wish to comment.

A complaint must be lodged with the organisation involved prior to making its way to the Ombudsman and it must be given a chance to respond and to ‘put things right’.

An issue should be submitted to the independent investigator if the member of the public has not received a response within a reasonable time.

This should usually be within 12 weeks but may be longer for social care complaints that follow a statutory process.

Once a complaint is submitted to the Ombudsman, it will take a look at it and advise on the next steps before assessing whether it can, and should, investigate.

For further information visit lgo.org.uk