Case Ref: 24 022 022 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• BinJ to review its procedures within two months of LGSCO decision to ensure that: a) all council tax staff can differentiate between matters carrying aright of appeal and those which are for the complaints procedure, and can take correct action on each; and b) its standard letters, website, and other relevant correspondence provide information about council tax liability appeals.

Case Ref: 24 014 029 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council agreed to carry out a review to identify the reasons why the section 202 review did not take place within 8 weeks and act to ensure the delay experienced on this case is not repeated on future cases.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant staff of the need to record decisions about suitability.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant staff of the need to promptly inform applicants of the decision about suitability.

Case Ref: 24 013 200 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• set out action taken to improve delays in the Review Team

Case Ref: 24 011 190 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• • Provide guidance to staff to ensure:a) Correspondence with applicants is properly sent and recorded.b) Homelessness applications are dealt with in a timely manner.c) Enquiries regarding crime reference numbers are made to all relevant police forces.d) Full and proper consideration is given to each applicant in relation to their eligibility for interim accommodation.e) Complaint responses are sent within the relevant timescales, or interim responses are sent clearly explaining why it is not possible to reply fully in the proper timeframe.

Case Ref: 24 009 793 Category: Education Sub Category: School admissions

• The Council has agreed to remind Panel members and staff who deal with deferred entry requests of the requirements set out in the Admissions Code and relevant guidance. It should also provide those staff with a copy of this decision statement.
• The Council will also take action to ensure decision letters include a meaningful analysis of why the Council has reached a decision about what is in the best interests of the specific child

Case Ref: 24 009 675 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Provide a written briefing to officers in its homelessness team regarding the importance of retaining accurate records of the actions/decisions taken by the Council regarding homelessness applications.
• Remind officers of the Council’s duty to make inquiries into what, if any, duties it owes someone contacting the council who gives a reason to believe they may be homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
• Remind staff of the Council’s duty to secure interim accommodation for an applicant whilst it carries out an assessment if there is reason to believe they may be eligible, homeless and in priority need.

Case Ref: 24 008 427 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Review its processes to establish why Miss X was not provided with continuing interim accommodation up to 13 May, and provide an action plan identifying any necessary changes to ensure there is no repetition of these circumstances.
• Provide guidance to staff to ensure that homelessness applicants who the Council accepts a duty to provide interim accommodation for, are in receipt of a placement in such accommodation.
• Provide an action plan showing how all outstanding statutory reviews will be completed within maximum timescales.
• Provide guidance to staff to ensure that statutory reviews are completed within the maximum timescales.
• Provide guidance to staff to provide full and relevant complaint responses.

Case Ref: 24 006 914 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to share a copy of this decision with staff in homelessness, allocations, andtenancy management to identify the learning from this complaint.
• The Council has agreed to produce a protocol for joint working and information sharing among housing allocations, homelessness, and tenancy management, including what should happen when an existing tenant needs to leave their home or the borough. It will provide training to all relevant staff on the agreed procedures and include the protocol in any induction or training of new staff.
• The Council has agreed to review the factsheet previously produced for secure tenants who need to leavetheir homes due to risk of violence and update it as required. It will share this withstaff in homelessness, allocations, tenancy management and with any other relevantstakeholders, such as housing associations and tenancy managementorganisations. It will ensure the factsheet is accessible to the staff who need it andconsider publishing it on the Council’s website or otherwise publicising it totenants.

Case Ref: 24 003 551 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to:Identify the action it is going to take to ensure it communicates with people about the charges for their care;Introduce policies and procedures on charging legal costs and interest on unpaid care charges.

Case Ref: 24 003 541 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Demonstrate how, in the future, it will progress homelessness applications including better communication and timeliness of decisions.
• Demonstrate how in the future, it will keep the suitability of interim and temporary accommodation under review.