Durham County Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
67% Complaints upheld by Durham County Council
67% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 79% in similar authorities.
10 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Durham County Council's population, this is
1.9 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.6 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 15 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Durham County Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 11 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
40% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Durham County Council
In 40% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 13% in similar authorities.
4 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 10 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Durham County Council
LGO issues further report on Durham planning complaint
The Local Government Ombudsman has issued a further report into a planning complaint against Durham County Council.
Durham council told to review staff misconduct procedure following ombudsman’s investigation.
Durham County Council has been asked by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) to review the way it deals with staff misconduct complaints after a man claimed he was ‘gazumped’ by a building control officer following an official site visit.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 24 008 210
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed to review why it delayed in completing an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) needs assessment and finalising the EHC Plan. It will produce a dated action plan to prevent recurrence of the same faults in future.
Case reference: 24 007 979
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Provide the Ombudsman with an update as to what specific action it is taking to reduce the backlog of assessments waiting for advice from Educational Psychologists.
- Stop routinely applying the exemption where an educational institution is closed for at least four weeks. The Council should only apply this when it is relevant and the delays completing the assessment are due to it being unable to receive advice in time from the educational provider. The Council should provide evidence to the Ombudsman as to what steps it has taken to stop this exemption being routinely applied to all cases with delays.
Case reference: 24 007 054
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council has agreed to ensure all social work staff are aware of the correct procedure to follow when a person goes into residential care.
Case reference: 24 001 522
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Other
- The Council together with the ICB and Trust, will ensure staff are trained on how to apply the current Section 117 aftercare policy when discharging people from Section 117 aftercare, including fully involving people and their carers or advocates in the decision.
Case reference: 23 019 438
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council has agreed to:a) review the invoicing errors and delays that have occurred in this complaint and provide a plan about what the Council will do to prevent reoccurrence;
- b) review how this service provider has been monitored and whether the spot checks currently in place for charging are sufficient to prevent future service failure;
- c) review how the Council advises and invoices people for telecare services to ensure the information and charges are clear;
- d) remind staff about the importance of recording changes in care packages and providing updated support plans to service users so that there is a clear written record of provided services;
- e) remind staff about going through services provided when completing a review so that there is a record the person is receiving services both agreed to and paid for.
Case reference: 23 003 726
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Direct payments
- The Council has agreed to identify the action it is going to take to ensure officers understand the Council’s duties under the Care Act 2014 to:a) meet people’s eligible care needsb) increase personal budgets when a cheaper solution cannot be foundc) only provide direct payments if people request them
- The Council has agreed to take action to ensure officers take account of people's rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 when responding to complaints.
Case reference: 22 016 416
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Assessment and care plan
- The Council was unable to procure a care provider to meet a man's reablement care needs. The Council will review its care commissioning arrangements and create an action plan of the actions it will take to improve the availability of care providers. It will provide the Ombudsman with a copy of the action plan.
Case reference: 22 006 163
Category: Other Categories
Sub Category: Other
- The Council has agreed to review its handling of this case and consider how it can improve its management of the Energy Efficiency Improvement (EEI) Scheme in the future.
Case reference: 21 018 631
Category: Planning
Sub Category: Enforcement
- Review procedures to ensure that decisions on enforcement matters are properly recorded and communicated
Case reference: 22 008 257
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council will ensure it tells relevant officers to provide information leaflets on charging to people receiving adult social care at the earliest opportunity, even where a financial assessment will be delayed.
Last updated: 4 April 2015