Case Ref: 23 000 304 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council did not take sufficient steps to ensure support was given in an Education, Health and Care plan when a young person was out of school in 2021-2022. The Council will share the Ombudsman's final decision with relevant staff to remind them of the need to ensure that the support in an Education, Health and Care plan is delivered whilst an alternative school is sought.
• The Council will consider what further steps it can take to reduce delays in responding to complaints about a lack of support in Education, Health and Care plans and about alternative education.

Case Ref: 22 017 458 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed provide the Ombudsman with an action plan to ensure similar delays in sending out financial assessments do not happen in future.

Case Ref: 22 016 734 Category: Housing Sub Category: Private housing

• The Council will amend its procedural/process documentation to make clear to officers that although a telephone call to those who have reported private housing disrepair may be the most appropriate method of communication alternative methods should be considered when requested by the person making the report. The Council should then cascade that to all private sector housing staff.

Case Ref: 22 016 244 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• review its procedures to ensure people are notified when a financial assessment indicates they will be required to self-fund their care and care providers are promptly notified of a change in the financial arrangements of a care package.

Case Ref: 22 013 754 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council was at fault for failing to send a council tax reminder or final notice when a member of the public began accruing arrears without her knowledge. The Council will review why it did not issue reminders or final notices to her from March 2021 onwards. If the Council identifies failings in its systems, it should draw up an action plan to rectify them.
• The Council will remind staff they should respond to contact from members of the public without delay. People should not be forced to submit a complaint to get an answer.

Case Ref: 22 013 235 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• The Council will put in place a system to monitor the Care Provider's complaint response times to ensure complaints are dealt with promptly. This will be done at regular quality monitoring meetings.

Case Ref: 22 009 514 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Disabled children

• The Council agreed to provide the Ombudsman with a copy of its draft updated direct payments eligibility criteria which is currently under review. It will explain to the Ombudsman how it intends to apply the eligibility criteria for disabled children's services and direct payments, and make customers aware of the criteria in the interim before it publicises its revised policy

Case Ref: 22 003 968 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to reviewits procedures and tell the Ombudsman what it has done to ensure it:• complieswith Tribunal Orders for carrying EHC needs assessments and issuing final EHCPlans in the required timescale;• respondsto requests for EHC re-assessments and carries out the assessments in therequired timescale;• takesaccount of evidence provided about a child’s individual circumstances whenconsidering requests for professional advice as part of an EHC needs assessment,and explains its decisions to parents properly.

Case Ref: 22 000 473 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will complete a lessons learned review to ensure that where a complaint outcome includes actions at a subsequent review meeting these are properly recorded and fed back to the complainant.

Case Ref: 22 000 468 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will complete a lessons learned review to ensure that where a complaint outcome includes actions at a subsequent review meeting these are properly recorded and fed back to the complainant.