Case Ref: 24 017 577 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• Provide evidence of the reduced backlog regarding the number of requests for reviews.

Case Ref: 24 014 544 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• o Implement service improvements to ensure staff are reminded not only:· that conducting an assessment is a legal obligation, not a matter ofdiscretion; and
• ensure staff are reminded not only: of the requirement to issue decisions that clearly outline statutory review rights, even in cases where there is no change to the applicant’s banding.

Case Ref: 24 002 836 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Disabled facilities grants

• The Council has agreed to share a copy of this decision with staff in the relevant departments to identify learning from this complaint.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that council tenants can apply for a DFG and that the Council’s policy is to use the same process for all adaptations, regardless of tenure. This means the Council must approve works if the legal tests are met.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that the tests of “necessary, appropriate, reasonable and practicable” apply to each adaptation separately and provide training or guidance as needed.
• The Council has agreed to ensure the Council keeps any warning flags, such as “potentially violent”, under regular review and updates all relevant departments where this flag is removed or changed.

Case Ref: 24 002 112 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to provide evidence to show that it has changed its procedures and it now automatically informs homelessness applicants of their right to request a review of the suitability of the accommodation when it accepts the main housing duty.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant officers of the following: The medical and mobility sections of the personalised housing plan must be completed, and this information must be considered when determining the type of interim accommodation which will be suitable for the applicant.The Council has a continuing duty to keep the suitability of accommodation under review. Where there has been a change in circumstances, officers must properly consider whether the accommodation remains suitable.Where a homelessness applicant says they are at risk of domestic abuse in their accommodation, the Council must carry out a risk assessment to ensure they support the applicant appropriately.The importance of providing timely responses to incoming emails.The types of complaints which should be referred to the Housing Ombudsman.
• The Council has agreed to review its plan for reducing the length of time families with children and pregnant household members are staying in B & B accommodation, and for promptly moving homelessness applicants to suitable accommodation.
• The Council has agreed to ensure housing application decision letters are created and sent on a more regular basis, to ensure applicants receive login details within eight weeks of their application.
• The Council has agreed to investigate why a property inspection did not take place, and take action to ensure inspection requests are appropriately actioned in future.

Case Ref: 24 012 725 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Parking and other penalties

• The Council will remind officers that they can always correspond about a Penalty Charge Notice at any stage and there is discretion to cancel a Penalty Charge Notice, where appropriate.

Case Ref: 24 009 764 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

• the Council has agreed to circulate guidance to relevant staff, to highlight that officers do not need to witness a nuisance in person to substantiate that it amounts to a statutory nuisance; and
• review and amending its published ASB case review criteria to ensure it is adherent to the law, and circulate a notice to relevant staff to highlight this change.

Case Ref: 24 008 874 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• The Council will review its record keeping to ensure it consistently records all Mental Capacity assessments carried out for people for whom the Council provides care services.
• The Council will ensure there is a clear process in place when a person for whom the Council provides care services lacks mental capacity and has nobody to take decisions about their welfare or finances. All social workers and their managers will be trained in this process.

Case Ref: 24 006 609 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• Remind relevant staff of the importance of effective complaint handling.

Case Ref: 24 006 498 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council was at fault for delay in chasing up the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) response to its application to become the financial appointee; for failing to act when it became aware there were isues with the application; and for poor communication with the previous financial representative.The Council will explore why such significant periods of time elapsed before it chased the DWP for a response to its application to become responsible for the benefits payments. It will also explore why it failed to identify and act on the issues with its application to the DWP. The Council will identify what steps it needs to take to prevent similar fault in future and send the Ombudsman an action plan setting out what those steps are and when it will complete them by.

Case Ref: 24 005 438 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council was at fault for not completing a review of its decision on a housing allocations banding. The Council will remind relevant staff to keep people informed where it is likely to, or has, missed a deadline it has set for itself to complete an action as a result of a complaint.
• The Council identified other people who have also been affected by the delay in completing council housing allocation review requests. The Council will provide the Ombudsman with an update on its progress clearing the backlog of the review requests.