News and Press Archive December 2008
23 December 2008
Transport for London took bailiff action on fines motorists had already paid
Transport for London pursued enforcement action against motorists who had already paid their penalties.
23 December 2008
Faulty decision over vehicle access to home left couple with unnecessary costs of nearly £30,000
Luton Borough Council granted consent for a vehicle access to a couple's home without properly considering the legal and safety issues, and then withdrew it, leaving the couple with nearly £30,000 of unnecessary costs.
22 December 2008
Ombudsman criticises Council over countryside development
Easington District Council’s handling of a new countryside development caused a woman to suffer nuisance from traffic.
19 December 2008
Ombudsman criticises Council over threat to village barn
“Multiple and various failings” by Darlington Borough Council officers almost led to the partial demolition of a village barn that was a listed building.
17 December 2008
Portsmouth Council “unfair” over ice cream concessions
Portsmouth City Council advertised ice cream concessions for a 12-month period, but then granted licences to the successful bidders for three years, unfairly depriving another man of a business opportunity for two years.
11 December 2008
School Governors provided inaccurate information to admission appeal panel
The Governors of St Peter’s Collegiate Church of England School, Wolverhampton, failed to provide accurate information on the capacity of the School to an admission appeal panel.
10 December 2008
Herschel Grammar School failed to follow statutory admissions code
Herschel Grammar School gave priority to pupils for whom the School was their first preference, and failed to offer a place to a pupil who had a higher 11+ score, contrary to the Admissions Code.
10 December 2008
Grave concern over Castle Morpeth Council’s response to critical report
Castle Morpeth Borough Council did not comply with the law in failing to consider the Ombudsman's finding that the Council had unreasonably sought to enforce conditions for the construction of a self-built ‘timber/log kit’ home.
04 December 2008
North Devon Council’s handling of grants to improve housing criticised
Council publicised the availability of £764,000 of Government funds to improve homes in a ‘big bang’ approach, but its systems for dealing with the interest "were simply not good enough".