Case Ref: 24 019 151 Category: Housing Sub Category: Private housing

• The Council will ensure its policies and procedures for enforcement action where category one hazards are identified are in line with the Council's duty to take formal enforcement action under Section 5 of the Housing Act 2004.
• The Council will complete training with relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the Council's duty to take enforcement action in cases where category one hazards are identified.

Case Ref: 24 015 465 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will remind homelessness staff that a homelessness application should not be closed unless the applicant has not responded to contact from it for 56 days or longer.
• The Council will remind homelessness staff to ensure interim accommodation is suitable for the households’ needs and that any equipment required to make it suitable is provided.
• The Council will remind homelessness staff that reports interim accommodation is unsuitable should be investigated. Staff should record what action has been taken and the reasons for any decision on suitability.

Case Ref: 24 015 174 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind officers of the need to carry out capacity assessments where a person declines care but appears to show signs of confusion.

Case Ref: 24 008 559 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to identify how many current section 202 reviews of housing decisions are outstanding and delayed beyond the legal timeframes and write to these applicants to seek an agreed extension where it has not done so already.
• The Council has agreed to investigate what led to the significant delays in carrying out the section 202 reviews of housing decisions in this case and take action to ensure the Council concludes outstanding and future section 202 reviews within the timeframes set out in law.
• The Council has agreed to remind its housing officers that pregnant people and families must not live in B&B accommodation for more than six weeks, as set out in law.
• The Council has agreed to improve its systems for identifying homeless households that are approaching the six week limit in B&B accommodation so they can be moved to alternative accommodation before then.

Case Ref: 24 000 282 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will provide evidence of the actions it has agreed to take at paragraphs 26 and 27. This includes:reminding staff about the Council’s duty to provide services in section F of an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan; andreminding staff about the importance of effective communication and carrying out agreed actions.
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Case Ref: 24 000 143 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to complete a review of this complaint to identify the causes of the delay and explain what action it will take to prevent a recurrence.

Case Ref: 23 021 055 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will publish a policy around the housing of pets with their owners. This will take into account both the Homeless Code of Guidance and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s advice for a policy that “is inclusive and allows for consideration of individual circumstances”.

Case Ref: 23 017 286 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Inform staff carrying out Education Health and Care Plan needs assessments that responses from Social Care should be chased and included in the report before finalising the plan.

Case Ref: 23 013 215 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to: remind officers of the statutory duty to review EHC Plans annually; andremind officers of the statutory duty to ensure children or young people receive the special educational provision set out in section F of the EHC Plan.

Case Ref: 23 008 399 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to remind relevant officers of the need to consider whether a complaint about the suitability of temporary accommodation should be treated as a request for a statutory review.