Service improvements

Buckinghamshire Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023

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 - 10 of 14 cases with service improvements

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

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 004 837)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 12-Oct-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complains the Council’s waste management contractor repeatedly failed to provide adequate waste collections for his property for several weeks. This caused Mr X significant inconvenience, frustration and time and trouble. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X, make a financial payment and service improvements to remedy this injustice.

    Service improvements

    The Council will explain to the Ombudsman the steps it has taken to, address issues with reporting missed collections, the incorrect closing of missed reports and prevent repeat practice of the issues that caused Mr X to complain to the Council and then the Ombudsman.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 004 347)

    Category: Planning Date: 22-Mar-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to approve a planning application on land next to his home. There was evidence of fault in the way the decision was made. The Council has agreed to take action to avoid recurrence of the fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council was at fault in the way a decision to approve a planning application was made. To avoid recurrence of the fault, the Council agreed to consider its working practices and procedures to ensure:case officer reports contain accurate and sufficient information that explains its processes and reasons; andit has adequate checking procedures to ensure information is accurate and adequate, before decisions are made.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 004 241)

    Category: Education Date: 02-Feb-2023

    Summary

    Mrs X complained that the Council failed to provide her son with the occupational therapy and speech and language therapy that was set out in his education health care plan. We find the Council at fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council should conduct a review of its procedures around spot purchases of provision of services where a child is receiving out of county provision. It should demonstrate to the Ombudsman that it has considered ways of ensuring that delays such as happened above do not occur again.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 003 404)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 13-Feb-2023

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council considered her complaint through the children’s statutory complaint procedure but failed to provide Special Guardianship payments it owed her, or explain why her grandchildren remained on a child protection plan for longer than necessary. The Council was at fault for failing to properly consider Mrs X’s complaint about the matters and for failing to identify the payments it owed Mrs X. The Council agreed to pay Mrs X the £8,838.88 in special guardianship payments it owes and £500 to recognise the frustration, confusion and time and trouble caused to her by its faults.

    Service improvements

    The Council will hold regular workshops to ensure that social workers understand the difference between a private arrangement and when a child or young person has effectively been accommodated, even if a parent or guardian has not signed agreement; and that it holds a weekly panel meeting to review all arrangements where children are likely to be placed in to care to ensure that decisions are made in a timely manner and legal advice sought where necessary.The Council will remind relevant staff it should consider its discretion to consider all elements of a complaint under the children's statutory complaint procedure, particularly where a complainant is likely to be disadvantaged by using different complaint procedures.The Council will ensure relevant staff accurately record the time, date and content of phone calls with special guardians about financial matters.The Council will review its child protection conference policy and information leaflet and ensure they provide the same information about the appeals process, particularly who appeals should be made to in the first instance.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 002 603)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 16-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council’s waste contractors repeatedly failed to collect, empty and return his bins. He says the contractors left litter on his property and wrongly advised him they had emptied his bins when they had not. Mr X also complains the Council delayed rectifying the missed collections and incurred delays in the complaint handling process. Mr X says the Council’s actions caused avoidable frustration to him. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide a remedy to address the injustice identified.

    Service improvements

    Remind staff to adhere to the timescales set out in the Council’s household waste collection policy regarding missed collections,Remind staff that where service users cannot report missed collections online, reports of missed collections made via telephone or email are dealt with in line with the Council’s household waste collection policy.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 002 002)

    Category: Education Date: 21-Mar-2023

    Summary

    There was fault by the Council which meant Y did not receive suitable fulltime alternative education when he stopped attending school. Y missed out on education during a critical time in his education. The Council will apologise, make a financial payment and implement service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide training / guidance to staff to ensure actions in mediation agreements are fully completed.The Council will provide training / guidance to staff to ensure compliance with the duty under s.42 Children and Families Act 2014 to secure special education provision in an Education, Health and Care Plan.The Council will provide training / guidance to staff to ensure where a child is unable to attend school that alternative provision under s.19 Education Act 1996 is full time unless there is clinical advice that less provision is appropriate and the reasons for part time provision is evidenced.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 001 485)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 10-Oct-2022

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for not using available information to find Mr X, when trying to recover a council tax debt, before moving to recovery action. It has already admitted this oversight and refunded Mr X’s costs. It was also at fault for failing to issue a notice of enforcement to Mr X’s correct address when it found it. This meant bailiffs went to enforce the debt, which caused Mr X distress. The Council has agreed a financial remedy and will ensure its bailiffs are properly trained in correct enforcement procedure.

    Service improvements

    The Council should ensure the bailiffs are adequately trained in the correct enforcement procedure in relation to issuing a notice of enforcement at the correct address where there is conflicting information.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 001 295)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 27-Sep-2022

    Summary

    Miss B complained the Council delayed issuing her a council tax bill when she moved into a new build property. Miss B also complained the Council’s communication was poor. We found fault with the Council for its delay sending Miss B a council tax bill and for errors in its complaint responses. The Council will make a financial payment to remedy the injustice to Miss C.

    Service improvements

    The Council should provide those involved in council tax complaint handling with training about how to investigate and respond to complaints.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 000 802)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 30-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained on behalf of Mr Y. She complained about the Council’s delay in assessing Mr Y’s care and support needs. The Council was at fault for the delays with completing Mr Y’s care needs assessment and delays with providing him with the appropriate provisions agreed in his support plan. This caused injustice to Mr Y and Mrs X. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to:provide the Ombudsman with evidence of the Council’s:a) streamlined allocation referral process(es) for service users’ care needs assessment requestsb) review of the roles and responsibilities of teams on care needs request allocation referrals and assessment c) review of the joint working practices between teams to ensure improved communications and to ensure appropriate outcomes are achieved for service users in a timely mannerProvide the Ombudsman with an explanation and/or evidence of how the Council will monitor its service improvements (a, b and c listed above) to ensure the faults experienced by Mrs X and Mr Y do not reoccur.

  • Buckinghamshire Council (22 000 299)

    Category: Education Date: 07-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Ms B complained the Council failed to secure education, and education, health, and care provision for her son. Ms B said this affected his academic, social, and emotional progress. The Council was at fault for delays securing provision for Ms B’s son. These delays caused Ms B and her son injustice. The Council will pay Ms B a financial remedy, reimburse the cost of tutoring and secure any missed provision.

    Service improvements

    Share a copy of our decision with relevant staff to highlight the faults found in this case.Remind staff involved in finding educational placements to consider directing admittance when a child meets the criteria for an ‘excepted pupil’.Consider introducing measures to check amendments to EHC plans made following SEND Tribunals fully and properly reflect the orders.

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