Summary: Miss B complained the Council failed to backdate her enhanced personal budget for transport to December 2024 and that caused her financial hardship. The Council has now agreed to backdate the personal budget to December 2024. There is nothing further the Ombudsman can achieve for Miss B.

The complaint

1. The complainant, Miss B, complained the Council failed to backdate her enhanced personal budget for transport to December 2024.
2. Miss B says because of the Council’s actions she has experienced financial hardship.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. As part of the investigation, I have:
• considered the complaint and Miss B's comments;
• made initial enquiries of the Council.

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What I found

5. Miss B has children with special educational needs. Miss B asked the Council to provide an enhanced personal budget due to issues with the transport the Council had provided. The Council agreed to provide an enhanced personal budget but only backdated the payment to January 2025.
6. Following enquiries from the Ombudsman the Council agreed to backdate the budget to December 2024. As there is nothing further the Ombudsman can achieve for Miss B I have discontinued our investigation.

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Final decision

7. I have discontinued my investigation as the Council agreed a remedy during my investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman