Case Ref: 19 020 503 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council was at fault in not issuing a Personalised Housing Plan when a homeless applicant sought help with housing. The Council has agreed to issue guidance to officers that even if an applicant had previously had a Personalised Housing Plan a new one should be drawn up for each application.

Case Ref: 19 019 618 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Disabled facilities grants

• The Council agrees to provide the Ombudsman with evidence that since it started the new process it is meeting the timeframes set out in the DFG guidance.

Case Ref: 19 018 861 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council has agreed to develop an information sharing agreement or memorandum of understanding between the relevant teams in benefits and council tax to ensure relevant information is shared in a timely and efficient manner.

Case Ref: 19 016 507 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council will send the Ombudsman evidence of the following actions: sharing the outcome of its enquiry with another local authority and the Care Quality Commission; ensuring care and support plans now record both core hours and any payments for additional support; and raising the learning from this complaint with senior management and sharing the feedback across its adult social care service.

Case Ref: 19 016 156 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council has agreed to produce guidance for relevant staff on the process for assessing requests for s13A discretionary Council Tax Relief.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff to keep records of all decisions.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that all decisions communicated to taxpayers should explain any rights of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Case Ref: 19 012 432 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has reviewed its annual review process for special educational needs. As part of that all cases where recommendations are made as part of a review are considered by a management panel. The Council also monitors decisions to ensure the appropriate actions are completed.