Case Ref: 20 002 712 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council has agreed to complete its review of its processes relating to publicising planning applications and considering the impact development will have on neighbouring properties. It should share its findings with the Ombudsman, with any changes it makes to work practices and policy.

Case Ref: 20 003 080 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Refuse and recycling

• Remind staff handling complaints about recurring missed collections that they should establish the underlying cause, identify appropriate remedial actions, communicate these to complainants and ensure issues are resolved before closing complaints. This should include staff at the Council and Bristol Waste Company.
• Remind Council staff handling complaints of its responsibly to consider complaints where someone is dissatisfied with the response of a commissioned service provider, as stated in section 9 of its Complaints and Compliments Policy.

Case Ref: 20 003 011 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council has agreed that in future, when writing any schemes that provide for grants for businesses impacted by COVID-19, that it will ensure applicants are given a right of review or appeal if they disagree with a decision.

Case Ref: 19 014 084 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to ensure it begins planning for a child's transition to post-16 education in Year 9, as required by the Code of Practice.

Case Ref: 19 012 826 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council should review its published housing allocation scheme and amend it to ensure any qualifying criteria are included.

Case Ref: 19 010 220 Category: Planning Sub Category: Enforcement

• Review its procedures to ensure that proper contemporaneous case records are kept for planning enforcement complaints. These should show the actions the council took in response to an enforcement report, what decisions were taken and why. It should also ensure that complainants are updated periodically.

Case Ref: 19 007 723 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has prepared a briefing for all relevant staff who carry out Mental Capacity Assessments or best interest decision making to remind them: • of the decision specific nature of MCA decisions; • of clearly recording the reasons for best interest decisions; • of ensuring effective follow up of best interest decisions; to ensure outcomes are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and with a clear timescale.
• The Council will also explain what measures it has taken to avoid a repeat where a complaint response became heavily delayed in a disagreement about which service area has responsibility to respond.

Case Ref: 19 003 437 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to review assessment practice across the Council to ensure it is consistent and Care Act compliant.
• The Council has agreed to ensure staff recognise when human rights are engaged and that they are addressed.
• The Council has agreed to review any cases which have been waiting over one year for a placement, ensuring these are prioritised and progressed swiftly with due consideration of human rights.
• The Council has agreed to ensure staff responsible for responding to complaints, are adequately trained and able to identify where cases should be referred to more senior officers.
• The Council has agreed to ensure it has an effective mechanism for following up where complaints about poor practice have been received and to check that improvements are made and sustained

Case Ref: 18 017 789 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council will make procedural changes to improve its complaint handling and record keeping.