Case Ref: 24 015 382 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to amend its housing allocation scheme to make it clear which housing priority band will be awarded when a homeless applicant is owed the relief duty but has not been placed in temporary accommodation.
• The Council has agreed to ensure staff are aware that while it is appropriate to manage the expectations of homelessness applicants regarding the type of accommodation likely to be provided, they should not actively discourage applicants from accepting accommodation. Staff should provide clear and accurate information to allow applicants to make informed decisions.

Case Ref: 24 014 814 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• •Remind those dealing with school transport cases of the need to ensure parents/ carers are given the opportunity to attend appeal panel hearings should they wish to.
• •Advise those dealing with transport appeals of the need to ensure the panel is quorate and of the need to keep clear records of the panel decision and reasons.

Case Ref: 24 014 669 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council has agreed to remind staff in the case of historic debts, that the officer will review the circumstances and attempt to make contact with the liable party (by email, telephone or letter) so they can clarify the reasons for pursuing the debt and the officer will record notes of any discussion. Officers will then take appropriate action which may include withdrawing the summons and costs and allowing the liable person to make a payment arrangement.

Case Ref: 24 014 372 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• •Provides further guidance to its staff about the information to provide in closure letters. It must ensure the letters specify exactly what information the applicant needs to provide. Where an applicant has provided financial records but more evidence is needed, it should not just list the financial documents applicants need to provide; it should explain why the evidence they have already provided does not meet the Council’s requirements.
• •Reviews its procedures to ensure it assesses applications which have been made in accordance with the allocation scheme. Unless the Council changes its allocation scheme, it should not consider applications to be incomplete when the applicant has provided the documents listed in paragraph 2.2.3 of the Council’s housing allocation scheme.
• •Resolves the technical issue which results in blank attachments being sent to housing applicants.

Case Ref: 24 014 164 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to amend its procedures to ensure officers are aware that documents other than utility or council tax bills can be used as proof of address, and of the circumstances when less than three months of bank statements should be accepted.

Case Ref: 24 014 063 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will identify and implement learning from this complaint to improve the time taken by the Council to address significant repairs. This will help to ensure similar failings do not happen in future and significant repairs are addressed by the Council in a timely manner.
• The Council will remind relevant staff of the Council’s duty to carry out an inspection when concerns about a property are raised by a service user. This will help to ensure inspections are not missed and property concerns do not go under the radar and be left unaddressed by the Council.
• The Council will remind relevant staff of the Council’s duty to keep suitability under review, and recognise the types of communications from service users which should trigger the Council to carry out a review of suitability. This will help to ensure suitability reviews are carried out when necessary.

Case Ref: 24 013 274 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council should consider why, in this case it took so long to issue a final Education, Heath and Care Plan after the Tribunal’s decision and what it can do to ensure it complies with orders, within the relevant timescales, from the SEND Tribunal. The Council should report back to the Ombudsman with the changes and improvements it intends to make to its service.

Case Ref: 24 013 261 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review the documents required for new applicants and existing tenants, ensuring that applicants are not asked to provide unnecessary evidence.
• The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure it assesses applications which have been made in accordance with the allocation scheme. Unless the Council changes its allocation scheme, it will not consider applications to be incomplete when the applicant has provided the documents listed in paragraph 2.2.3 of its housing allocation scheme.
• The Council has agreed to consider amending its procedures to give applicants additional time to submit missing documents before their application is closed, to prevent unnecessary delays. If the Council continues to close applications without giving applicants an opportunity to submit any missing documents, it will amend the application form to include a clear warning about the consequences of not submitting all required evidence.

Case Ref: 24 013 203 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will remind officers they must consider whether the Council should arrange alternative provision for a child not in full-time education whenever they receive significant new information. They must keep a record of that consideration as without it, the Ombudsman may not be persuaded the Council properly considered whether it owes the child the duty to arrange alternative provision.
• The Council will clarify to officers that the Department for Education guidance on alternative education provision says councils should arrange provision when it is clear a child will be out of school on health grounds for 15 days, consecutively or cumulatively, over a school year.

Case Ref: 24 013 188 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will remind relevant staff that it must make enquiries when someone contacts it seeking accommodation and gives ‘reason to believe’ they ‘may be’ homeless or threatened with homelessness. The person does not have to complete a specific form or approach a particular department of the Council.