Service improvements

Durham County Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2026

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 21 - 30 of 36 cases with service improvements

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

  • Durham County Council (22 005 725)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 08-Feb-2023

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision to stop Special Guardianship (SG) Allowance payments in respect of their niece, F. The Council’s decision to stop the payment was in line with its policy. However, the appeal panel’s report is flawed and does not show how the panel considered relevant evidence Mr and Mrs X submitted. The Council agreed to hold a new appeal review with a fresh panel to remedy the uncertainty this has caused. It will also pay Mr and Mrs X £509.81 after it found it had underpaid their SG Allowance during 2019.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to remind relevant officers who sit on review panels for Special Guardianship Allowance payments to ensure their reports and conclusions accurately reflect the evidence submitted by appellants and explain their reasons.

  • Durham County Council (22 005 552)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 10-Mar-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained about a lack of guidance and information from the Council about the charges for his late mother’s care at a care home. The Council was at fault for the delay in providing information about care charges and in carrying out a financial assessment. This meant Mr X received a large and unexpected care bill and Mrs Y was unable to make an informed decision about her care. The Council has agreed to apologise and write off some of the care charges. It has also agreed to ensure financial information is provided to care home residents at the point of assessment.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to ensure clear information, in writing, is provided about the potential for future care charges by the Council’s hospital based social workers when patients are discharged into residential care from hospital.The Council has agreed to ensure the factsheet on charging for residential care is provided at the same time as the Council carries out a needs assessment for residential care so that people are made aware of the potential charges as soon as possible.

  • Durham County Council (22 002 850)

    Category: Education Date: 08-Dec-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about how the appeal panel considered her appeal for her child at a preferred school. There were some faults in how the panel considered Mrs X’s appeal. As a result, Mrs X cannot be satisfied the appeal process was carried out fairly. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council will arrange a fresh appeal with a different panel and clerk for the hearing.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to:•by training or other means remind panels of the need to consider and satisfy themselves at stage 1 that the admission arrangements were correctly applied, in line with statutory guidance•by training or other means remind clerks of the need to record robust and clear reasons for the panel’s decision at both stages of the appeal process.

  • Durham County Council (21 019 049)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 24-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained on behalf of Mr Y about how the Council handled Mr Y’s care charges. There was fault by the Council in how it delayed changing and informing Mrs X about Mr Y’s increased contributions. The Council also failed to explain Mr Y’s revised charges to Mrs X in a timely manner. This caused Mrs X uncertainty, confusion and the time and trouble chasing and complaining to the Council. 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 implementation of its new online financial assessments after its introduction in April 2023 (next financial year)•provide the Ombudsman with an explanation and evidence of how the Council will monitor the performance of its new online financial assessment process to ensure service users are notified of any changes in their care fees contributions in a timely manner.

  • Durham County Council (21 014 061)

    Category: Housing Date: 16-Jun-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complains the Council incorrectly decided not to prosecute his former landlord for unlawful eviction. We do not find the Council at fault. However, we find the Council at fault in how it handled Mr X’s reasonable adjustments to accommodate his disability-related needs. We find this caused Mr X distress and uncertainty. To remedy this, the Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X, make him a payment and circulate guidance to staff.

    Service improvements

    the Council has also agreed to circulate a reminder to relevant staff about ensuring people are routinely asked or prompted about any reasonable adjustments. The service should not wait for the person to tell them what adjustments they require. This reminder should include information on how the Council expects decisions on reasonable adjustments to be communicated to the individual.

  • Durham County Council (21 012 182)

    Category: Education Date: 22-May-2022

    Summary

    Mrs B says the Council unreasonably refused her request for alternative transport for her daughter to get to school. The Council’s process for considering school transport appeals does not comply with Government guidance. A change to the Council’s school transport policy and arrangement for a further appeal for Mrs B is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council has reviewed its school transport policy, which now complies with Government guidance.

  • Durham County Council (21 010 361)

    Category: Planning Date: 19-Apr-2022

    Summary

    Mr B complains the Council failed to properly determine a neighbour’s planning application before granting permission. Further, he complains the Council has not properly considered revoking the planning permission due to the interference it will have with his property rights. We found the Council failed to properly determine the application. However, the power to revoke planning permission is discretionary and the evidence suggests the Council did properly consider this. Mr B has suffered an injustice by reason of the identified fault and so we have recommended a number of remedies.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide additional training and support to all officers with material involvement in the planning application’s determination. The training and support provided should focus on the areas of fault identified in the final decision statement.

  • Durham County Council (21 008 663)

    Category: Education Date: 02-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complained that the Council failed to provide suitable home to school transport. There was no fault in the Council’s decision making. It offered Mr X’s child a door-to-door taxi, which was suitable for the child’s needs. The Council was not legally required to offer transport that fitted around Mr X’s work or the family’s arrangements for their other children to get to school. There was some fault in the Council’s complaint handling for which it has offered Mr X a suitable time and trouble payment.

    Service improvements

    The Council's transport appeal arrangements are not in line with Government Guidance, the Council should consider this as part of its current review of its home to school transport policy.

  • Durham County Council (21 007 640)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 29-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust clearly communicated Mr P’s dementia diagnosis but did not develop a care and support plan for him. We also consider Durham County Council’s poor communication with Mr P’s wife, Mrs P, about his care and support leaves her uncertain if Mr P would have received different care and support before he died.

    Service improvements

    The Council should ensure relevant staff are aware of the importance of effective communication with service users and carers, regarding decisions about their care and support.

  • Durham County Council (21 005 240)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 04-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council handled his application for council tax reduction poorly, causing him distress. We found the Council at fault in the way it communicated on Mr X’s application. We recommend the Council apologise to Mr X and review the communication it sends out to council tax reduction applicants.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff of its council tax reduction published process and the need to give clear reasons for the decisions they make.

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