Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing This fact sheet is aimed at people who are concerned that the council is not taking appropriate action over issues relating to taxis and private hire vehicles and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am unhappy with the way the council has handled my concerns about taxi or private hire vehicle licensing. Can the Ombudsman help me? We ca ...

Joint Working Manual Contents: Chapter index for Joint Working Manual Updated: 27 November 2025 Joint Working Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 16 • Is there an alternative right/remedy? We cannot investigate complaints where the PA has used an alternative right or remedy Where there is an alternative right or remedy that hasn’t been used, we expect the PA to use this rather th ...

Manual for Councils Contents: Chapter index for Manual for Councils Updated: 13 May 2026 Manual for Councils search Search this content Submit search Part 12 • Specific types of complaint School admission appeals If the appeal relates to a maintained school (including community, foundation, voluntary-aided or voluntary-controlled), complaints should be made to the Ombudsman. The Education Funding ...

School admissions This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents and carers of children who have not been offered a place at their preferred school and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. (If your concerns are about infant class size, see our fact sheet on infant class size appeals). My child did not get a place at the school we applied to. Can I complain to the Ombudsman? ...

Possessions in council storage This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have experienced problems with the way the council has looked after their possessions while dealing with their homelessness application and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The council did not look after my possessions properly when it accepted me as homeless. Can the Ombudsman help me? In m ...

Parking enforcement This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about a penalty charge notice (PCN) that was issued by a council in relation to a parking contravention and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have received a penalty charge notice relating to a parking contravention. Can the Ombudsman help me? Most councils in England operate what is kno ...

Assessment Manual Contents: Chapter index for Assessment Manual Updated: 05 January 2026 Assessment Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 11 • 10. Dealing with contact on closed files 10.1 General It is acceptable to provide clarification in reply to post-decision contact in writing or by telephone, but make it clear we will not reply again unless we decide any contact has a bearin ...

Post Decision Review (PDR) and Service Complaints Manual Contents: Chapter index for Post Decision Review (PDR) and Service Complaints Manual Updated: 01 June 2024 Post Decision Review (PDR) and Service Complaints Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 10 • 10. Service complaints A service complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction from one or more customers or members of the pub ...

Information Security Policy Contents: Chapter index for Information Security Policy Updated: 21 October 2025 Information Security Policy search Search this content Submit search Part 3 • 2. Classification of information 2.1.Definition of confidential information Our confidential information is held in various forms, including paper and electronic records, hand written notes and information stored ...

Family left to sofa surf for 12 months after being ‘forgotten’ by Waltham Forest council A Waltham Forest family had to sofa surf for 12 months because the local council forgot about them, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The family became homeless in August 2022 but the Ombudsman’s investigation into the family’s complaint found the council did not do enough to help them ...