Case Ref: 23 020 998 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• Remind staff to make complainants aware that they may request a stage two review of their complaint if they remain dissatisfied with the stage one response, and that they may refer their complaint to the Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied with the Council’s final response

Case Ref: 23 020 687 Category: Education Sub Category: Other

• The Council will share the decision on this case with its attendance staff and remind them of our guidance on how we expect Council's to fulfil their responsibilities to provide education for children who, for whatever reason, do not attend school full-time.

Case Ref: 23 020 345 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• Remind staff of the three-stage statutory children’s complaints procedure, (and the timeframes for each stage), for councils to follow when looking at complaints about children’s social care services, as well as the accompanying statutory guidance, and our practitioner guidance on the subject

Case Ref: 23 019 478 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• Complete the review and amendments to its housing allocations scheme so it clearly explains the different procedures for assessing applications made by Housing Association tenants.

Case Ref: 23 019 471 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Remind relevant staff of the importance of effective complaint handling.
• Remind relevant staff of the Council’s duties and responsibilities regarding EHC Plan’s and needs assessments.

Case Ref: 23 019 302 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Looked after children

• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that the Council must complete the children’s statutory complaints procedure once started.

Case Ref: 23 018 381 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will review how it informs applicants about their rights of review following a medical priority decision, and ensure relevant staff are aware of the process to ensure they can provide the necessary information to applicants when decisions or requests are made.
• The Council will review its practice for priority start dates when it completes assessments or processes information against its Housing Allocation Scheme and Find Your Home Policy. This is to ensure: 1.it is consistent in how the start date for priority is applied; and 2.applicants are not unfairly disadvantaged in circumstances where the Council causes delays in considering applicants reports of changes of circumstances or requests for medical priority.

Case Ref: 23 016 778 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind its Adult Social Care staff and managers conducting Care Act assessments or reviews of the requirement to properly consider service users views, their personal circumstances and relevant information from health professionals, and base its decisions on well considered and reasoned grounds in line with the Care and Support statutory guidance.

Case Ref: 23 015 552 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to issue written reminders to relevant officers about the statutory timescales for completing EHC needs assessments and EHC Plans and the need to comply with these timescales.

Case Ref: 23 014 834 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to remind officers of the process they should follow when they receive medical information which may justify a transfer or increased priority, and the process for expediting a medical assessment
• The Council has agreed to review its procedures for notifying applicants of decisions about their housing applications to ensure they are informed of their right to request a review of these decisions.