Service improvements

Bracknell Forest Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Bracknell Forest Council as a CSV file.

  • Bracknell Forest Council (21 011 617)

    Category: Education Date: 10-Feb-2022

    Summary

    The complainant said the Council significantly delayed issuing her son’s Educational and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and failed to communicate with her throughout the process. The Council has accepted it was at fault and has agreed to remedy the injustice.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide evidence of regular monitoring of its EHCP timescales - within the next four weeksThe Council will remind relevant staff of the importance of issuing EHC plans within the timescales set out in the SEN code of practice - within the next four weeks

  • Bracknell Forest Council (21 010 249)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 14-Mar-2022

    Summary

    The complainant said the Council failed to investigate a noise nuisance correctly which caused her distress. She said the noise from her neighbour’s flat affected her health. She also complained about the way the Council dealt with her complaint. We found fault only with the way the Council handled this complaint. We have made recommendations.

    Service improvements

    The Council will ensure all its senior officers handling Environmental Health complaints are trained or re-trained in the complaint handling. This should be achieved within four weeks of the final decision by providing them with the Council's complaints policy and the Ombudsman's 'Effective Complaint Handling for local authorities' guide.

  • Bracknell Forest Council (21 003 422)

    Category: Planning Date: 26-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mr C said the Council was at fault for underestimating the impact on his property of an extension on his neighbour’s house. He also said it wrongly accepted his neighbour’s application to amend a planning application using the wrong legislation. The Council was at fault for accepting an application to amend the plans using the wrong legislation. This caused Mr C injustice as he was put to time and trouble researching the law. However, the Council was not at fault for its consideration of the impact of the extension. The Council has agreed to pay Mr C a sum in recognition of the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council advised a planning applicant to amend the plans for a planning application using s.73 of the Town and Country Planning Act. 1990 This was not the correct procedure. A new planning application should have been made. The Council has agreed to ensure that all planning officers are aware of limitations to the use of s.73 and to write to the Ombudsman.

  • Bracknell Forest Council (20 011 753)

    Category: Education Date: 07-Jul-2021

    Summary

    Ms G complains the Council reviewed her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan but then refused to recognise it as a review, which denied her a right of appeal to a tribunal. We uphold the complaint, finding the Council’s reasons for not recognising the review being incompatible with relevant legislation and guidance. We recommend the Council apologises, pays Ms G £250 for denying her a right of appeal to a tribunal and undertakes training with its staff.

    Service improvements

    Training for staff to understand early reviews must follow a statutory process and use of terminology.

  • Bracknell Forest Council (20 007 057)

    Category: Education Date: 11-Jun-2021

    Summary

    Mr X complains the Council failed to provide full time education for his son. He also complains the Council failed to find his son a school place and delayed in completing an EHC assessment. We find fault with the Council for not issuing the final EHC plan within the statutory deadline. However, the fault did not cause any significant injustice. We also find fault with the Council for not properly considering whether part time education was more suitable for the child. We have made recommendations.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff of the need to have clear written records of their decisions and reasons when deciding on the suitability of part time education.

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