Ombudsman issues third critical report about Birmingham’s bin collections The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is again having to report on Birmingham’s waste collection services after the council had made assurances things would improve. The most recent report concerns three residents in different parts of the city, who had all been receiving assisted collections – where crews collect ...

County council failed to meet man’s needs, leaving him to pay for some of his own care Hampshire County Council has been criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after it failed to meet an elderly man’s needs when his finances ran short. The man, who has dementia, had initially paid for the care he received in his home. But, in Spring 2019, when a relative alerted the council ...

Norfolk council agrees to rigorous scrutiny of services for children with Special Educational Needs Councillors in Norfolk will be provided with regular detailed analysis of the county council’s special educational needs services following a critical Ombudsman report. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman was asked to investigate, for a second time, the support Norfolk County Council pro ...

Croydon woman’s back broken by home-help device when council withdrew care funding A Croydon woman fractured her spine using a bed turning aid the NHS installed. The council thought this could replace paid care workers for overnight care, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. Croydon council withdrew funding for the woman’s night-time care. The NHS instead installed a turning ...

Birmingham City council to refund 11 years of care home fees family paid in error Birmingham City Council will repay a city family more than 11 years of care home fees after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the family should never have been charged. The Ombudsman was asked to step in after the family complained to the council that they were asked to pay a so-called ‘top-up’ fe ...

Rotherham family prevented from spending quality time together in man’s final days An elderly man’s stepdaughter was not allowed to spend proper time with him before he died because Rotherham Council decided at face value she was a risk, following a safeguarding referral, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The man had dementia and had been cared for in his home for five yea ...

Surrey to apologise to family for not providing boy with proper education Surrey County Council has agreed to review how it arranges and monitors special educational needs support for children and young people in the county following a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation. The Ombudsman was asked to investigate for the second time by the family of a young boy with Special Educ ...

Nuisance from dust or smoke This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns that the council is not taking action about the nuisance from dust or smoke they are experiencing and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Organisations the Ombudsman can look at We hold councils to account for services they pay other organisations, including private companies, to carry o ...

Bus stops and shelters This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about the council’s (or, in London, Transport for London's) actions in respect of local bus stops and shelters and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with decisions the council has made about our local bus stops and shelters. Can the Ombudsman help me? In a few cases, yes. T ...

Advice to planning applicants (complaints about) This fact sheet is aimed primarily at planning applicants who are unhappy with advice they have received from the council and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I asked the council for advice about the work I wanted to do. I followed the advice I was given and now discover it was wrong. Can the Ombudsman help me? Only in limite ...