City council in foster carer dispute after girl’s mother dies Birmingham City Council considered allowing an 11 year-old girl to be deported during a dispute with her foster carers, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has discovered. The girl, who was born in the UK, was being looked after by family friends after her mother died as she had no other relatives in the country. The couple ...

Council to reconsider how it allocates housing following Ombudsman investigation East Lindsey District Council has been asked to review its housing allocations policy to ensure it meets its equality duties, following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman looked at the council’s policy after a couple complained they had been barred from joining the housi ...

London council reviews Blue Badge assessment process following Ombudsman complaint London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has agreed to review the way it assesses applications for the disabled ‘Blue Badge’ parking scheme after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found numerous failings in the way the council was running the scheme. A complaint about the way an application was rejected ...

Kent couple lost valuable time together because of council errors A Kent couple lost valuable time together after the council placed one partner in a care home against her wishes following a hospital stay, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. Before the hospital stay, the man had been looking after the woman, who had previously suffered brain damage, without help at their hom ...

City council to amend school transport policy following Ombudsman investigation Coventry City Council has agreed to amend the way it handles appeals about free school transport after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found its policy did not meet statutory guidelines. The problem was uncovered after a man complained he had not been given a fair hearing when he appealed against the co ...

Croydon council fails to provide respite for disabled teen’s mum The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised London Borough of Croydon for failing to provide respite care for the mother of a disabled teenager because it would cost too much. The council argued that the care for the teen, who has Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and is largely non-verbal, wo ...

Staffordshire council missed multiple deadlines reviewing girl’s special needs plans Staffordshire council’s consistently poor administration of a county teen’s special educational needs plan left her college unable to properly support her, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The girl, who has autism spectrum disorder and physical disabilities, moved to a new college from he ...

Northumberland council asked to look again at man’s disability expenses The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has asked Northumberland County Council to reconsider how it supports a man with disabilities after its failings left him unable to go on holiday. The man, who needs full-time care, said the council did not consider holiday travel and accommodation costs for his care worker as ‘d ...

Bexley council failed to learn from previous school transport complaints London Borough of Bexley has been heavily criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after it failed to make agreed improvements to the way it decides school transport applications for children with disabilities. While the council implemented some of the changes, the Ombudsman still has concerns about the c ...

Council wrongly instructed enforcement company to destroy fast food trailer A Barnet street food trader has been left significantly out of pocket after the council wrongly instructed its nuisance vehicle enforcement company to destroy his pizza van when it was reported abandoned, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The council made no attempt to get in touch with the owner w ...