Case Ref: 21 001 611 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• Remind relevant staff of their duties under the Children Act 1996 to provide alternative provision when a child is out of school. The Council should consider sharing a copy of our focus report ‘Out of school…. Out of mind?’ and our final decision with the reminder. Staff should include, but not be limited to: • SENDIASS. • The Council education legal intervention team. • The resolution team within the education and skills directorate.
• The Council should review its information sharing agreement for SENDIASS representatives attending meetings where a child is not attending school. It should ensure mechanisms are in place so relevant information is shared correctly to ensure the Council meets its statutory duties when a child is not attending school.
• It should also remind relevant staff of the importance of meeting timescales set out in its complaint procedure and updating complainants where there are unavoidable delays.

Case Ref: 21 001 118 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will provide us with evidence of how it will ensure that in future adequate consideration is given to whether people who have asked to see their files are likely to need or should be offered support or advice as detailed in the relevant Council policy.

Case Ref: 21 000 869 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• Publicise on its website that council tax support application forms are only saved for 30 days and deleted if not submitted within this timeframe.
• Review its council tax support scheme to ensure the period for backdated claims is clear.

Case Ref: 21 000 856 Category: Other Categories Sub Category: Commercial and contracts

• By training or other means, remind officers of the requirements of the Council’s complaints procedure to ensure complaints are considered in accordance with it.

Case Ref: 21 000 393 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The council will remind staff of the need to give clear, evidence based reasons for its decisions, explained in context, in line with the Ombudsman’s Principles of Good Administrative Practice.

Case Ref: 21 000 222 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Traffic management

• The Council will issue guidance to the departments involved in this complaint about record keeping
• The Council will remind those who manage corporate complaints about the timescales for responding at each stage and the importance of meeting these deadlines.

Case Ref: 20 013 631 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to amend its housing allocation scheme by 31 August 2022 to include the assessment and allocation of bedsit and studio accommodation.

Case Ref: 20 013 391 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will show the Ombudsman that it has reviewed how information is shared between its Antisocial Behaviour and Housing services.

Case Ref: 20 012 901 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council will remind its officer of being mindful of the principles set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 when dealing with safeguarding reports. It will also consider whether any training is necessary for its officers.

Case Ref: 20 012 611 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will issue guidance to staff involved in the EHC process about the statutory timescales for EHC plans.