Luton to review some of its special educational needs services following Ombudsman’s investigation Luton Borough Council has agreed to create a detailed action plan to improve some of its services for children with special educational needs after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman uncovered significant concerns during a recent investigation. The Ombudsman upheld a complaint about the ...

Harrow to improve Blue Badge assessments following Ombudsman investigation A London council has been criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for the way it assesses disabled people’s requests for two different transport schemes. The Ombudsman has asked London Borough of Harrow and Access Independent (AI), the company that assesses people in the area for Blue Badges and Freedo ...

Councils reminded of duties to investigate renters’ housing concerns A recent Ombudsman investigation has highlighted local councils’ duties to investigate disrepair concerns in private rented accommodation. A woman complained to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) about the way Worcester City Council handled a complaint about disrepair issues in her rented flat. The council fo ...

Kettering Borough Council to review its homelessness procedures after disabled woman left in limbo Councils in England are being urged to check their homelessness procedures are fit for purpose, after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found significant fault with a Northamptonshire district council. The Ombudsman’s advice follows its investigation into a homelessness complaint from a ...

Investigation into Bucks brothers’ missing therapy uncovered 400 children potentially affected by change of council contract Buckinghamshire brothers with special educational needs were left without the speech and language therapy they were legally entitled to for more than a year - because Buckinghamshire Council failed to make sure it was in place. During an investigation by the Local Governmen ...

Monthly News October 2019 31 Oct 2019 Somerset council took too long assessing disabled woman’s care needs 24 Oct 2019 Blue badge applications to be reviewed in Sheffield 23 Oct 2019 Ombudsman welcomes Education Committee recommendations on Special Educational Needs 17 Oct 2019 Haringey and Islington councils criticised for how they recovered business rate debts 10 Oct 2019 Bexley council failed ...

Council should have better oversight of nurseries providing free places, Ombudsman says The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has told Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council to maintain better oversight of nurseries’ charging structures when they are providing the Government’s free places scheme. The Ombudsman has asked the council to write to all providers in its area who are provi ...

Nursing home fails to provide dignified care to Sandwell woman - Ombudsman A Sandwell woman suffered significant hair, diet and skin problems because the nursing home her local council placed her in failed to meet her cultural needs. The woman’s family complained to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that despite her care plan stating she needed specialist hair and skin care, and also ...

Family foster carers could be due backdated payments following Ombudsman investigation Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has agreed to check whether it has paid friends and family foster carers properly over the past five years, following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman has asked the council to consider backdating fostering allowan ...

Ombudsman finds council placed homeless disabled child too far from school Wandsworth council has apologised to a homeless mother after placing her in unsuitable accommodation two hours away from her disabled child’s school. At first, the mother – who also has mobility issues – and her family was placed in a flat which was accessed via a rusted external staircase in September 2021. At one point t ...