Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 018 668)

Statement Upheld Council tax 20-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in issuing her final tax bill. The Council has remedied the injustice through its complaints process. Investigation by us would not achieve anything more.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 001 865)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2026

Summary: We have found fault with the Council for failing to consider its Section 19 duty. This caused Miss X’s son, Y to miss out on education and support. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Miss X in recognition of the injustice caused. In addition, the Council agreed to make a service improvement to share information between teams.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 023 438)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s actions linked to her daughter’s education. We found fault because the Council failed to deliver provision set out in her daughter's Education, Health and Care Plan, failed to consider its alternative education duties, failed to amend her plan in statutory timescales and did not communicate effectively. This caused Mrs X avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty. It meant Y missed out on provision she was due. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council will apologise and make a payment to Mrs X.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 005 388)

Statement Upheld School admissions 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Ms X complained how the independent appeal panel dealt with her appeal for a place for her daughter at her preferred secondary school. We find some fault in how the panel handled Ms X’s appeal. This means she cannot be satisfied the process was carried out fairly. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and carry out a new appeal.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 008 363)

Statement Upheld Other 13-Nov-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to a child protection referral made regarding Ms X’s children. The Council operated the statutory children’s complaints process and offered Ms X a remedy for fault found. Were we to investigate, it is unlikely we would find fault with how the Council dealt with the complaint, or recommend further remedy.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 021 278)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 12-Nov-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault. It failed to provide all Miss X’s child, Y’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan provision, did not put in place a personal budget for Y’s provision and failed to carry out Y’s 2023 and 2024 EHC annual reviews in line with the statutory timescales. The Council will apologise to Y, make a symbolic payment to Miss X to acknowledge the impact of Y’s lost provision and the frustration, uncertainty and confusion it caused her and her delayed appeal rights. It has already put some service improvements in place but will also make a service improvement for putting in place actions agreed in complaint responses.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 020 851)

Statement Upheld School transport 30-Oct-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council had failed to provide a reliable escort to take her disabled son to school, as required. The Council has investigated the complaints and accepted fault. We agree with the Council’s findings, but we considered that there should be a symbolic payment to recognise the avoidable distress and inconvenience caused to the family. The Council has agreed to this. We are therefore closing the complaint.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (25 010 157)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the Education and Health Care Plan process. This is because the Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused by its delay and it is unlikely further investigation would achieve significantly more for Miss X.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 021 752)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Oct-2025

Summary: Miss X complained about a failure to put alternative provision in place for her child, Y, between 2024 and 2025, delayed annual reviews and a failure to update Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council failed to provide adequate oversight of Y’s provision between January and July 2024 and then failed to put any education in place for Y between September 2024 and January 2025 when they were not on roll at any school. It also delayed amending Y’s EHC Plan by five months following an annual review. The Council agreed to apologise and make payments to acknowledge the injustice this caused. It also agreed to provide us with updates of action it is taking to improve services under its SEND improvement plan.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 015 252)

Statement Upheld Other 08-Oct-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council has not met its legal duties to support his Special Guardianship Order. He says this has impacted the emotional wellbeing of his family. We find the Council at fault which caused injustice. The Council will apologise and make a payment to Mr X. The Council will also make a fresh decision.