Trees This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns that a council has failed to deal properly with a protected tree and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The counciI did not deal properly with a protected tree near my home. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes, in some circumstances. Councils have powers to make tree preservation orders (TPOs) for trees or woodla ...

Monthly News August 2020 27 Aug 2020 London man has to give up job after council houses him in Birmingham 20 Aug 2020 City council to amend school transport policy following Ombudsman investigation 13 Aug 2020 London council reviews Blue Badge assessment process following Ombudsman complaint 13 Aug 2020 Council agrees to address its lack of suitable school transport for children with Special Need ...

Monthly News November 2021 25 Nov 2021 Ombudsman issues guidance to help domestic abuse survivors 17 Nov 2021 Northumberland council asked to look again at man’s disability expenses 17 Nov 2021 Staffordshire council missed multiple deadlines reviewing girl’s special needs plans 11 Nov 2021 Birmingham bins not returned because of council squabble 11 Nov 2021 Council did not do enough to help woman ...

Publicising planning applications This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who believe that the council has failed to advise them of a planning application that may affect them and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The council did not tell me about a planning application. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes, in some circumstances. If you believe that the council failed to tel ...

Footpaths and rights of way This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems related to footpaths and rights of way that they regularly use, or which cross their property, and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Rights of way can include footpaths, bridleways and byways open to all traffic. I am unhappy about the way the council is dealing with a disputed foo ...

Councils should remedy without delay – Ombudsman The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has been compelled to highlight two cases where a council has not acted to put things right in good time. Bury Metropolitan Borough Council has taken too long to carry out the Ombudsman’s recommendations in two separate education complaints, leading the LGSCO to publish reports on both cases. In the fi ...

Ombudsman encouraged by Liverpool’s response to complaints review The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has welcomed Liverpool City Council’s approach to, and progress on, overhauling and improving the way it handles complaints. The Ombudsman was invited to carry out a full review of the council’s complaint handling procedures, as part of a raft of reviews prompted by government- ...

London man has to give up job after council houses him in Birmingham A man who called upon Merton council for help with housing, had to give up one of his jobs because he was given accommodation in Birmingham – leaving him with a three hour commute. An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found London Borough of Merton at fault because it did not take into account t ...

Homeless Haringey family left in bed and breakfast accommodation because of council errors A Haringey mother of six has been living in bed and breakfast accommodation since February 2020 because her local council did not do enough to prevent her from becoming homeless, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The mother, some of whose children are disabled, had been living in pri ...

Islington woman scared she would be “left to die” due to council inaction A disabled Islington woman was left in a state of neglect after her local council took too long to decide what funding it would give her to manage her own support needs, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has reported. The woman has several long-term health conditions that make it difficult for her to complete m ...