Case Ref: 22 007 941 Category: Planning Sub Category: Other

• The Council will remind officers conducting planning enforcement and noise nuisance investigations of the principles set out in the Ombudsman's Principles of Good Administrative Practice.

Case Ref: 22 008 999 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council has agreed to remind staff the importance of good record keeping and ensure that minutes are taken at every transport panel.
• The Council has agreed to review how it ensures that any payments for transport are made in a timely manner.
• The Council will review how it ensures those with disabilities can access the information about alternative forms of transport payments.

Case Ref: 22 007 577 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• The Council should issue written reminders to the care provider to ensure they are aware of: Regulation 17 which says care providers should “maintain securely” records and should have “an accurate, complete and contemporaneous record in respect of each service user, including a record of the care and treatment provided to the service user and of decisions taken in relation to the care and treatment provided”. Regulation 9 “Person Centred Care” says care providers should enable and support relevant people to make or participate in making decisions relating to the service user's care or treatment to the maximum extent possible…”. Regulation 10 says care providers must treat all service users with dignity and respect.

Case Ref: 22 006 811 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council needs to ensure there are sufficient staff in the complaints team to respond to customers who require telephone contact as a reasonable adjustment.

Case Ref: 22 000 133 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review its housing allocations scheme to ensure there is clear guidance onwhen certain members of the Armed Forces community are exempt from any residency requirements under the Allocation of Housing (Qualification Criteria for Armed Forces) (England) Regulations 2012 . The Council will provide training to relevant staff in both its housing allocations team and homelessness team on handling applications where these Regulations may apply.
• The Council has agreed to circulate a reminder to staff about when the Council must arrange interim accommodation for a homelessness applicant following a referral to a second council at the relief duty stage.
• The Council has agreed to circulate a reminder to relevant staff that if a welfare award is increased following additional supporting information, the eligible band date should be the date the completed housing register application was received.
• The Council has agreed to ask a Senior Officer in both its housing allocations team and homelessness team to review the decision statement and share any identified learning with their team. The Council will report back on the outcome of this.

Case Ref: 21 019 001 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council agreed to remind officers responding to our enquiries in the future of the need to send proper supporting evidence.

Case Ref: 21 015 463 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• the Council has also agreed to:• send a reminder to relevant staff of the need to promptly decide whether its section 19 duty has been triggered when a child is not accessing education due to health or medical reasons, including when it becomes clear the child is unable to access a reintegration programme for these reasons. Where the duty is triggered, staff should clearly record how they have assessed whether any educational provision is suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude and anyspecial educational needs they may have; and• share this decision with relevant staff.

Case Ref: 21 012 231 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council has agreed to take action to ensure:a)it reviews people’s needs at least every 12 months; b)provides people with copies of reviews, assessments and care and support plans; andc)officers provide accurate information when responding to complaints.

Case Ref: 21 007 240 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transition from childrens services

• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware they must start assessments in good time and without unnecessary delay to ensure a smooth transition from children’s services to adult care services.
• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware they should explore with the service user whether they wish for their family to be involved in a Care Act 2014 assessment. Staff should properly document any decisions on this.

Case Ref: 20 008 743 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Disabled facilities grants

• The Council has agreed to ensure specialist advice is sought for adaptations for people with disabilities such as sight loss in future.
• The Council has agreed to ensure it communicates with people in an accessible format. When, exceptionally, it is unable to do this, it should speak to the person about how best to do this and make a record of the conversation.