Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 001 607)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 21-Apr-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has failed to assess her sister’s needs properly and has failed to get the deprivation of her sister’s liberty authorised. The Council has delayed in reviewing her sister’s needs and in applying to have the deprivation of her liberty authorised. It also failed to ensure she received a consolidated response to all her concerns. The Council needs to apologise to Mrs X for the distress it has caused. It also needs to apply to the Court of Protection to have the deprivation of her sister’s liberty authorised and take action to improve its services.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 019 374)

Statement Upheld Parking and other penalties 22-Jun-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council and bailiffs acting on its behalf, wrongly enforced a Penalty Charge Notice for a traffic offence which was committed by a different person with the same name. We upheld the complaint. The Council will apologise, make a payment for the avoidable distress, inconvenience and time and trouble. The Council will also review its computer system.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 014 586)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 03-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to complete an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for Y within statutory deadlines and failed to provide alternative provision while she was out of school. We find the Council at fault for delays, causing uncertainty and distress for Mrs X and Y. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the injustice.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 020 387)

Statement Upheld Safeguarding 06-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about how the Council handled a safeguarding concern she raised about her relative. Based on current evidence, we find the Council at fault for a flawed safeguarding decision, an unreasonable delay in completing a care and support assessment, and a failure to involve Mrs X in that assessment. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 015 922)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 19-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to arrange his transfer to another local authority area, started and stopped the transfer process three times and failed to tell him the Council was not responsible for arranging a housing transfer until 2024. The way the Council reached the decision that it was not responsible for Mr X’s housing transfer was not affected by fault. However, the Council’s communications with Mr X and Mrs Y have been confused. That raised their expectations and caused them frustration now the accurate position has been explained. An apology, payment to Mr X and Mrs Y, alongside training for officers, is satisfactory remedy.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 017 627)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 23-Sep-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has not dealt properly with Mr Y’s adult social care, resulting in his needs not being met and causing distress. The Council is at fault because it did not take action to reduce identified risks as part of Mr Y’s Care and Support plan before reducing his care provision. Mr Y suffered the risk of harm. The Council should apologise, pay Mr Y £250 and review Mr Y’s case.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (24 022 684)

Statement Upheld School transport 06-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to provide school transport for Miss X’s child Y to the school named in their Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council will apologise to Miss X for the avoidable frustration caused by its fault. It will also provide school transport for Y, reimburse Miss X for the mileage costs she incurred in taking Y to school, and take steps to prevent recurrence of the same fault.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 010 552)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Nov-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Ms X’s housing benefit. This is because the Council has taken appropriate action and there is nothing further we would add or recommend.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 005 654)

Statement Upheld Charging 06-Feb-2026

Summary: Miss X complained the Council has wrongly assessed that she has to pay a significant charge for her care which she cannot afford. She complained the Council is also seeking to recover backdated charges. Miss X says this has led her to cancel the care provider so she is now without any care. In addition Miss X complained the Council failed to ensure care provided by the care provider was adequate or appropriate. We found the errors in the Council’s financial assessment are fault. The failings in the care and support provided by Company Z is also fault. The Council has apologised and made an appropriate offer to remedy the injustice caused.