West Northamptonshire Council (21 008 771)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 19-Apr-2023

Summary: Mr B complains about the Council’s delay in assessing his mother’s care needs when she moved in with him from a neighbouring local authority. The Council did eventually agree to a suitable package of care for her. But this was delayed. The Council gave him some misleading advice during the period. The Ombudsman upholds the complaint. The Council has agreed to our recommendations.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 017 808)

Statement Upheld Council tax 08-May-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in assessing an exemption for Council tax as the matter has been remedied.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 013 304)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 11-May-2023

Summary: Ms M complains about delays by the Council carrying out education, health and care needs assessments for her children, B and C. The delays were caused by a shortage of Educational Psychologists. The Council apologised and has offered a symbolic payment for the impact on B whose EHC Plan was delayed as a result. The Council has recruited more Educational Psychologists.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 017 190)

Statement Upheld Other 25-May-2023

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to respond to Mr B’s complaint about the information used in a children’s social care assessment. It has now agreed to respond to his complaint and offer him a small, symbolic financial remedy to recognise his injustice.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 011 896)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 30-May-2023

Summary: Mrs X complains about delay by the Council in issuing an Education and Health Care Plan and about failure to make suitable provision for her daughter. Some of Mrs X’s complaints are outside of our jurisdiction. Based on the evidence seen, we find there was a delay in issuing the final Plan. We also find the Council at fault for failing to provide her daughter with alternative provision between September 2021 and January 2022, and failing to respond to Mrs X’s complaint in a timely manner. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a financial payment to remedy the injustice this caused.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 016 330)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 18-Jun-2023

Summary: Mrs C complained the Council made a series of mistakes when it processed an application she made for her business to receive an Additional Restrictions Grant in January 2022. We upheld the complaint finding the Council sent a series of inadequate and inaccurate messages to Mrs C before closing her application. We found that but for the fault in those communications, the application may have succeeded. The Council has accepted these findings and agreed recommendations to remedy this injustice, set out at the end of this statement. The Council has also agreed to take action to identify others similarly affected by the mistakes identified in this case.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 009 324)

Statement Upheld Allocations 26-Jul-2023

Summary: The Council was at fault, because it did not seek to clarify a housing register and homeless applicant’s immigration status with the Home Office, despite this being a requirement of the statutory guidance. The Council was also at fault because it did not issue formal decisions on either the housing register or homelessness application, denying the complainant an opportunity to request a review. The Council has agreed now to complete these actions.

West Northamptonshire Council (23 000 099)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 07-Sep-2023

Summary: Mrs B complained the Council delayed issuing her daughter D’s education, health and care plan. She said because of the Council’s actions, her daughter missed education, health and care provision. She said D has been out of education since December 2021 and she had to home educate her. We found fault with the Council for delay issuing the education, health and care plan. This was because of a shortage of Educational Psychologists. The delay caused Mrs B and her daughter distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused to Mrs B and D by this delay by making Mrs B a financial payment.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 018 169)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Sep-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Y, with suitable education and the content of her Education, Health, and Care plan between September 2021 and September 2022. The Council was at fault for failing to secure the full content of Y’s plan to her between April and July 2022. The Council will pay Mrs X £2,000 to recognise Y’s lost provision.

West Northamptonshire Council (22 015 207)

Statement Upheld Safeguarding 28-Sep-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council did not properly investigate complaints and safeguarding concerns about home care it commissioned for her mother, Mrs Y, from Cera Care Operations Ltd in Old Stratford in 2021 and 2022. There was fault in how the Council considered Mrs X’s complaints and safeguarding concerns, which caused avoidable distress for Mrs Y and her family. It also may have caused Mrs Y a financial loss. The Council agreed to apologise and pay Mrs Y and her family a financial remedy. It will also review some of its adult safeguarding documentation, issue reminders to relevant staff, and share its learning points from our decision with its adult safeguarding staff.