The Council will review its process for assessing housing register applications (including new applications, change of circumstances requests and review requests), and consider what further steps it can take to reduce current delays in addition to the implementation of its new database. This may include recruiting or redeploying and training additional staff to address the backlog. It will provide the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman with an action plan setting out the steps it proposes to take.The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to issue housing register decisions in writing, with reasons and any rights of review or appeal.

The Council has agreed to share a copy of this decision with staff in the relevant departments to identify learning from this complaint and then ensure directors in the relevant departments to implement and track the lessons learnt.The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the Council’s duties and powers to deal with anti-social behaviour and that the different standard of proof required to take civil action means the Council can act even if the police have not.The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the low threshold triggering its duty to make inquiries into whether someone is homeless or threatened with homelessness and that an applicant can trigger this duty by approaching any department in the Council.The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that housing applications from existing tenants which indicate a need to move on reasonable preference grounds should be considered against the reasonable preference criteria and not only as a management transfer.The Council has agreed to provide an update on its progress against the action plan it agreed following a previous investigation about its delays assessing applications to the housing register.

Ensure the Council has procedures in place so its responses to our draft decisions have been considered and are robust.Confirm the Council has procedures in place to ensure timely compliance with agreed remedies.

The Council has agreed to provide guidance or training to staff conducting reviews of medical assessment decisions to ensure decisions explain how the Council has reached its decision, with reference to the evidence and the allocations scheme.The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that if the Council will not be able to meet its 56-day timescale for responding to review requests, it should tell the applicant this before 56 days have passed.

The Council will refer my decision to the next meeting of the relevant scrutiny committee and develop an action plan to ensure the lessons learned from this and previous complaints are ‘embedded’. The scrutiny committee will monitor the implementation of the Council’s action plan.

The Council will provide training to its staff in relation to completing reviews of Education, Health and Care Plans, whether it is an annual review or an emergency review so that actions are in line with guidance.The Council made a service improvement which is to take action if it has not received a review record following an Education, Health and Care Plan review meeting, from schools within 12 months of the meeting. The Council has agreed to review the service improvement. This is to ensure the Council contacts schools within four weeks of the review meeting, if it has not received the record.

The Council will review the template letters it sends to applicants to ensure they explain clearly whether the Housing Register assessment has been completed and whether a final decision has been made which carries review rights. The Council has already accepted the recommendation we made for wider service improvements following a recent investigation of another complaint. So there is no need to make further recommendations. It should provide us with evidence by 5 July 2023 that it has completed the review and prepared an action plan to reduce the significant backlog and delays in processing applications.

The Council should share its action plan, and provide an update, on its proposed improvements to address the delays in processing homeless applications. It should also explain how it will monitor the effectiveness of the new framework.The Council should implement a process to ensure the Council picks up and covers cases when an officer is off sick or on prolonged leave. It should communicate this to relevant staff.

The Council will remind its staff of the Council’s duty to provide advice and support to residents approaching its services regarding homelessness and access to the Council’s Housing Register. This includes properly considering eligibility for housing assistance for complainants who may already hold a tenancy, but believe the accommodation is unsuitable due to disrepair or rodent infestations.The Council will remind its complaints handling staff to respond to complaints in line with the timescales set out in the Council’s Complaints Policy. Including ensuring complainants are informed about delays in providing its responses and the reasons for such delays.

Remind staff of the importance of maintaining accurate records regarding bulky waste collections.Remind staff to adhere to the Council’s complaints policy.