Birmingham City Council (21 001 118)

Category: Children's care services Date: 29-Nov-2021

Summary

Birmingham City Council is at fault in that it failed to consider whether Ms B should be provided with support or advice when accessing personal information in her children’s social care files. This caused her injustice as she was unable to get prompt advice or support when she read upsetting and unexpected information in those files. The Council will take the action detailed to recognise this injustice.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (21 000 869)

Category: Benefits and tax Date: 09-Dec-2021

Summary

The Council was at fault for how it handled Ms X’s application for council tax support. This caused Ms X injustice as she cannot be sure whether her council tax support entitlement should be backdated. The Council has agreed to the actions at the end of this statement to remedy the injustice to Ms X.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (21 000 856)

Category: Other Categories Date: 30-Mar-2022

Summary

Ms X complains the Council is charging her more to rent a garage than it does council tenants and has failed to take action to prevent residents from blocking her garage. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council dealt with Ms X’s reports of residents blocking her garage. The Council is at fault in how it dealt with Ms X’s complaint which caused frustration and avoidable time and trouble to her. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice to Ms X by making a payment of £200 and review whether it needs to take further action to stop residents blocking Ms X’s garage.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (21 000 393)

Category: Benefits and tax Date: 19-Oct-2021

Summary

Mrs Y complained on behalf of Mr X about the Council’s decision to refuse Mr X a business grant, causing him stress, time and trouble and financial loss. We found no fault in the Council’s decision making however we found fault in the way it communicated with Mr X. We recommended the Council provide an apology, payment for distress and acted to prevent recurrence.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (21 000 222)

Category: Transport and highways Date: 13-Dec-2021

Summary

Mr B complained the Council does not enforce a Traffic Regulation Order where he lives. He also complained the Council allowed an event to go ahead in 2019 despite the disruption it causes. Mr B says the Council’s actions have negatively affected his enjoyment of his home. We found fault with the Council for poor record keeping and delays in its complaint procedure. The Council remedied the injustice caused to Mr B by these faults during its complaint procedure. It will also make service improvements.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (20 013 631)

Category: Housing Date: 08-Nov-2021

Summary

Mr C complained about the way the dealt with several housing related matters. He says the Council failed to award him the appropriate priority on the housing register. We find the Council was at fault because it delayed dealing with Mr C’s housing application. It also placed it him in the wrong priority housing band. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (20 013 391)

Category: Housing Date: 30-Nov-2021

Summary

There was fault by the Council. It failed to engage properly with Miss B’s housing difficulties when her close neighbour harassed her, in breach of a court order. It also took too long to process her later housing application. This caused Miss B distress and uncertainty as her neighbour’s harassment made her very scared and reluctant to leave her flat. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss B, make a payment to her, and review how it shares information between its teams.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (20 012 901)

Category: Adult care services Date: 23-Dec-2021

Summary

Mr B complained the Trust and the Council delayed his late mother’s discharge from hospital and kept her in hospital against her will on two occasions in December 2019. Mr B said as a result his mother, Mrs C, contracted a hospital acquired infection and this contributed to her untimely death. We found no fault in the way the Trust dealt with Mrs C’s first discharge from hospital. We found fault in the way the Trust and the Council dealt with Mrs C’s second discharge, and this meant she remained in hospital for longer than she wanted. The faults caused avoidable distress and frustration to both Mrs C and Mr B. However, we cannot link the claimed injustice to the fault identified. To put things right the Trust and the Council have agreed to our recommendations and will improve their practice in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, apologise to Mr B and make an acknowledgement payment.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (20 012 611)

Category: Education Date: 13-Dec-2021

Summary

Ms B complained about the Council’s handling of her son’s education, health, and care (EHC) plan annual review, and that it did not comply with the SEND tribunal’s orders. She also complained the Council did not respond to her complaints. Ms B said the Council’s failures negatively affected her son’s mental health. We found fault with the Council causing injustice. The Council agreed to take action to remedy this injustice.

Service improvements

Birmingham City Council (20 011 746)

Category: Education Date: 25-Oct-2021

Summary

There was fault by the Council in failing to secure alternative education when a pupil was unable to attend school due to anxiety. There were also delays in the EHC process and consulting alternative schools. These faults caused unnecessary distress and uncertainty and a loss of education. Recommendations for an apology, financial payment and service improvements are made.

Service improvements