Overview:

Key to names used

• Mr X The complainant

Summary

Mr X complained about the Council’s delay in dealing with his application for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) for an extension to his property. As a result, Mr X and his family have lived in overcrowded accommodation for longer than necessary which has had a significant impact on his children due to their needs.

Finding

Fault found causing injustice and recommendations made.

Recommendations

The Council must consider the report and confirm within three months the action it has taken or proposes to take. The Council should consider the report at its full Council, Cabinet or other appropriately delegated committee of elected members and we will require evidence of this. (Local Government Act 1974, section 31(2), as amended)

In addition to the requirement set out above, to remedy the injustice caused the Council should within three months of the date of this report:

• send a written apology to Mr X for the distress and uncertainty caused by the delays in the DFG process. We publish guidance on remedies which sets out our expectations for how organisations should apologise effectively to remedy injustice. The organisation should consider this guidance in making the apology we have recommended in our findings;
• make a symbolic payment of £500 to Mr X to acknowledge the distress and uncertainty caused by the delays in the DFG process;
• explore all its options for progressing Mr X’s DFG referral to application without further delay. The Council should inform Mr X of the steps it will take to progress his application;
• draw up an action plan with target timescales to reduce the delay in dealing with DFG referrals to ensure the Council is meeting the best practice time targets. The Council should provide a quarterly report to the relevant committee or cabinet member on its progress in reducing the delays. This is to ensure the Council maintains progress and to ensure democratic oversight; and
• provide twice yearly updates on the Council’s website of the progress to clear the backlog so that those affected are aware of the progress made.

The Council has accepted these recommendations.

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