Case Ref: 23 014 793 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council intended to refuse a planning application because of the impact it would have on the complainant's home, but did not make its decision within the required time limit. The Council will carry out a review of working practice and procedure and make any improvements necessary to avoid the same fault happening again.

Case Ref: 23 014 778 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council should ensure relevant staff are aware of the importance of considering the Code when assessing someone's capacity and making best interest decisions. That includes involving relatives and lasting powers of attorney.

Case Ref: 23 013 222 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will provide the Ombudsman with an update on the roll out of its scheduled training to complaints handling staff, which aims to avoid delays and improve responses.

Case Ref: 23 013 092 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind relevant staff that support should not be reduced unless this is based on a needs assessment and care and support plan.

Case Ref: 23 008 812 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

• The Council will carry out a training session for officers dealing with noise complaints. That training session should make clear the Council has a duty under the EPA to investigate complaints about statutory nuisances and that officers should not refer all complaints which relate to RSL properties to the RSL to investigate without considering whether the Council should carry out its own investigation.

Case Ref: 23 007 880 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Noise

• Provide an update into the investigation for non-residents to report noise complaints. This should include any further actions the Council is taking.
• In writing, remind staff of the importance of logging and responding to complaints made by residents.

Case Ref: 23 014 781 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will engage in discussions with Company A about a framework agreement to set out clear expectations around service standards, repairs policy and timescales.

Case Ref: 23 010 931 Category: Other Categories Sub Category: Other

• Remind staff of the importance of ensuring any agreed reasonable adjustments are complied with.
• Remind staff of the need to respond to correspondence within a reasonable timeframe.
• Remind complaint handlers of the Ombudsman ‘s guidance on remedies when considering awarding financial remedies.
• Review how the Council records when reasonable adjustments are agreed and how this is shared between services.

Case Ref: 23 010 798 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• Share the final decision statement with officers in the Housing Register and corporate complaints teams to ensure they understand the Council is responsible for the actions of partner organisations in the allocations scheme and should consider complaints about their actions.
• Review and amend its housing allocations scheme so it clearly explains the different procedures for assessing applications made by Housing Association tenants and for considering their review requests;
• Arrange for a senior manager responsible for the Housing Register team to meet a manager from the Housing Association to review their current performance in carrying out medical assessments and find out whether there is a wider issue with delays or blockages in the process. If there is a systemic problem, they should agree an action plan to address this.

Case Ref: 23 008 554 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• Review the Council’s Travel Assistance Policy to include details about the Independent Travel Training program.
• Remind staff to adhere to the statutory guidance and the Council’s own Travel Assistance Policy, specifically when providing decision notifications to service users, (to include why the Council has reached its decision, how the Council conducted the review and the factors considered in reaching the decision).
• Remind staff of the Ombudsman’s principles of good administrative practice and the importance of keeping proper and appropriate records in relation to decision-making.