Case Ref: 19 011 481 Category: Planning Sub Category: Building control

• The Council failed to deal with this complaint in accordance with its published complaints procedure: there were delays. The Council apologised to the complainant but it has also agreed that it will review lessons learned form the complaint handling in this case and identify and implement measures to prevent recurrence of similar fault.

Case Ref: 19 008 497 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Fostering

• Within one month of my decision the Council should: send a memo to officers reminding them of the need to confirm in writing if it considers care arrangements for a child are a private family arrangement/private fostering agreement, outlining the financial implications of that.
• Within one month of my decision the Council should provide the Ombudsman with a copy of the refreshed statement of purpose it has introduced to ensure private fostering arrangements receive robust scrutiny and review.

Case Ref: 19 003 520 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council review how it handles complaints when there are similar complaints about the related issues, so that it makes sure it addresses complaints individually and does not refer to those already made.

Case Ref: 18 018 825 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council has agreed to review the procedure it follows for deciding when it will seek to apply for an attachment of benefit to recover debt as opposed to use of enforcement agents. It should ensure relevant officers have clear advice on its expectations in this area and that it keeps records to explain why officers have decided to use a particular recovery approach if this is not consistent with its policy.
• The Council has agreed to complete a review of its practice of passing different council tax debts to different enforcement agents to recover for the same individual in debt.

Case Ref: 19 005 474 Category: Housing Sub Category: Private housing

• The Council will review its procedure to ensure adequate records of visits and assessments are maintained.
• The Council will issue a reminder to officers of the need to ensure accuracy when drafting Improvement Notices.

Case Ref: 19 003 120 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Noise

• The Council will review its procedures to ensure reports of noise that are referred to its ASB team are actioned and the complainant contacted in a timely way.

Case Ref: 19 002 947 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Remind staff of the importance of keeping accurate and contemporaneous records of contacts with those approaching as homeless or threatened with homelessness. The Council should be able to show what advice it has given, and how it has complied with the law and national guidance.

Case Ref: 19 000 972 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Refuse and recycling

• The Council will advise its contractors they should retain records of monitoring and consider taking photographs as evidence that collections have been completed.

Case Ref: 19 000 603 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will review its contracts and monitoring arrangements with providers of interim and temporary accommodation to ensure the properties are fit for purpose and of an appropriate standard. The Council should explain to the Ombudsman the action taken to improve its performance in this area.

Case Ref: 18 016 757 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council has agreed to review relevant procedures to ensure so far as possible that failings in the council tax recovery process, which led to a debt not being recalled form bailiffs when it should have been, do not recur, and to demonstrate to the Ombudsman what action has been taken in this regard. The Council has also agreed to review its complaint handling to ensure that where there are delays, updates are provided, and where there is fault this is clearly acknowledged with remedy offered where appropriate.