Case Ref: 24 013 834 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will review its policies and procedures on the assessment of the suitability of accommodation provided to homeless applicants and make any changes needed to ensure this includes clear guidance about:• the steps officers must take to properly assess the suitability of accommodation offered to homeless applicants and record these assessments.• the actions officers should take in response to concerns or complaints from applicants about the suitability of their accommodation.
• The Council will also provide refresher training for officers to ensure they understand the Council’s duties to provide suitable accommodation for homeless applicants and to keep suitability under review.

Case Ref: 24 013 744 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• to issue decision letters for all suitability review requests
• improve recording of decisions by Review Team and Medical Assessment Team

Case Ref: 24 013 315 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council agreed to remind complaint handling staff to progress complaints about the Council’s actions under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 under the statutory children’s complaints procedure.

Case Ref: 24 008 727 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• •Remind relevant staff to consider and evidence decision making when considering the Council’s powers to accommodate people when completing a review.

Case Ref: 24 001 743 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind officers and relevant managers of the need to take a proactive stance when issues relating to a lack of specified Section F provision in an Education, Health and Care Plan are brought to its attention. This will help to ensure that provision is delivered as it should be and in a timely manner.

Case Ref: 24 008 391 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to issue a reminder to relevant staff that, if the Council refuses a request for a direct payment, it must inform the child’s parent or the young person of the reasons for the decision and their right to request a formal review of the decision in writing.

Case Ref: 24 007 569 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to consider all points raised in review and appeal requests and indicate how they were considered in the review or appeal decision.

Case Ref: 24 006 982 Category: Planning Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to remind all front-line enforcement staff of the importance of following the Council’s enforcement policy when carrying out visits, particularly in respect of the time limits for taking action and the expediency of taking formal action.
• The Council has agreed to consider after a visit, sending a follow-up letter setting out the conclusions of that visit and all options available to regularise the situation with an appropriate time-limit for action.

Case Ref: 24 002 893 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind officers dealing with EHC Plans of the need to ensure the provision in a final EHC Plan is in place when concerns are raised and that the provision cannot be changed without amending and issuing a final EHC Plan.

Case Ref: 24 000 465 Category: Housing Sub Category: Council house sales and leaseholders

• • Remind relevant staff of the importance of which Ombudsman scheme to signpost to at the conclusion of the complaints procedure.