West Northamptonshire Council (24 012 297)

Statement Upheld Other 06-Apr-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about information included in a children’s social care assessment. We have found that the Council was at fault, as it has not yet dealt with Mr X’s complaint properly. It will now do so.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 012 145)

Statement Upheld Charging 22-Apr-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed assess his disability related expenditure properly when calculating his contribution towards his care costs. On the evidence available we have found fault in how the Council considered some of Mr X’s disability related expenditure. We recommend the Council apologise to Mr X and review its decision on some of his disability related expenditure. It should also backdate disability related expenditure for the support Mr X needs to attend social and religious events, from the date of his financial assessment until the end of January 2025.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 020 017)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 05-May-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about delays in producing an Education Health and Care Plan as the Council has agreed to a proportionate way to resolve the complaint.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 014 931)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 08-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Y with an education in line with their Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan between May 2024 and January 2025 after Y was permanently excluded from school. She also complained about a delay in holding an annual review of Y’s EHC Plan. The Council was at fault. It failed to provide Y with any education while they were out of school and has delayed holding the annual review, to date, by four months. The Council agreed to make payments to recognise Y’s loss of education and for the distress and uncertainty caused to Mrs X. It will also arrange Y’s annual review without further delay.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 008 740)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 08-May-2025

Summary: Miss E complained the Council failed to provide a suitable education to her daughter for two years. The school did not follow her Education, Health and Care Plan. It delayed finalising a review of the Plan, was poor in its communications and did not provide any alternative education for times her daughter was not able to attend school. We uphold the complaint because of delay, poor communications and some lack of alternative provision. These faults have caused Miss E and her daughter distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to my recommended remedies.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 021 254)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 11-May-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care plan process. This is because the Council has agreed to an appropriate remedy for the injustice caused by the delay.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 015 545)

Statement Upheld Council tax 12-May-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failures relating to council tax billing for a property he owns and rents to tenants. He says the Council failed to update its records and act on the information he provided. We find the Council was at fault for its delay in updating its records and acting on the information Mr X provided. This caused Mr X distress and frustration. The Council has agreed to our recommendation to pay Mr X £100 to address his injustice.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 011 390)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 11-Jun-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has not dealt properly with her daughter Y’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) and has suffered distress and loss of educational opportunity. The Council is at fault because it delayed issuing Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and it did not ensure all Y’s SEN provision was made. Mrs X suffered avoidable distress and Y missed SEN provision. The Council should apologise to Mrs X and Y and pay Mrs X £3,000.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 020 277)

Statement Upheld Charging 11-Jun-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mr and Mrs X’s complaint about a delay in the Council reimbursing care charges to their adult son, Mr Z. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.

West Northamptonshire Council (24 013 887)

Statement Upheld Charging 24-Jun-2025

Summary: The Council delayed informing Mr D of the outcome of his financial assessment and delayed sending him an invoice. This was fault. The Council has agreed to apologise, cancel the invoice and carry out a service improvement.