Case Ref: 25 001 727 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to write to us, setting out the reasons for the significant delay in its handling of Mr X’s complaint, and how it will overcome similar difficulties in future (for example, by improving monitoring or commissioning arrangements).

Case Ref: 25 001 044 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Parking and other penalties

• Provide training to staff concerning when issues should be referred to the Traffic Enforcement Centre and when they should be dealt with by the Council’s complaints process.

Case Ref: 24 021 331 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council will amend the wording on its webpage titled “Council Tax and moving in or out of Newham” to make it clear that if a resident updates their address using the government’s register to vote service, this does not inform the Council’s council tax department their address has changed.
• The Council will tell us the outcome of its review into how it records information and documents on residents' council tax files.
• Through training or a staff briefing, the Council will remind all relevant staff about the importance of recording key information, such as council tax reminder letters, on residents’ case files.

Case Ref: 24 020 053 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council agreed to remind relevant officers of the low threshold giving rise to the duty to make inquiries and what, if any, duty a person is owed where there is reason to believe they might be homeless or threatened with homelessness.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant officers they should accept the relevant duty as soon as they are satisfied an applicant is homeless or threatened with homelessness.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant officers of the need to tell applicants of the decision about what, if any, homeless duty is owed along with information about review rights.
• The Council agreed to consider whether it owes the complainant any homeless duty taking into account all the available evidence as well as her circumstances and notify her of its decision.
• The Council agreed to contact the complainant to see whether she still needs help with checking for suitable accommodation to bid for and explain i) how this will work and ii) the period covered over which it agrees to do this.The Council also agreed to contact the complainant about the key safe and pendant alarm and arrange for their provision if they were not provided.

Case Ref: 24 019 833 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to review all current cases where parents, carers or young people have been provided with direct payments to arrange special educational needs provision and ensure they have received direct payment agreements, in line with the requirements of the SEND Code of Practice.
• The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the importance of ensuring direct payment agreements are provided to people who arrange special educational needs provision using a personal budget. It will remind staff these documents should clearly set out the rules around the use of direct payments and it is not in line with the SEND Code of Practice to only include this information in the Education, Health and Care Plan.
• The Council will outline how it will ensure that in future - through updated letter and form templates if necessary - that it will offer people a right of review of relevant decisions around personal budgets, including decisions to end them.

Case Ref: 24 019 552 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council will remind staff in its anti-social behaviour service to properly consider whether the Council should use its powers, record any decisions made, and confirm the outcome to complainants.
• The Council will also remind staff in its Environmental Health service to properly record all investigations and decisions, and ensure video footage is properly assessed and documented.

Case Ref: 24 018 863 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will reminder staff that:•the section 188 interim duty arises on a low “reason to believe” threshold and should continue until the section184 decision is issued, and•section 202 reviews must be completed within eight weeks unless an extension is agreed with the applicant.

Case Ref: 24 018 246 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will provide refresher guidance to staff involved in SEN school transport decisions and appeals. This could include a briefing paper, circular or evidence of a discussion at a team meeting. The Council should remind staff to ensure that all relevant factors (such as the child’s needs, family circumstances, and travel suitability) are properly considered and clearly reflected in decision letters. This is to ensure compliance with the statutory guidance: ‘Travel to School for Children of Compulsory School Age’.

Case Ref: 24 016 895 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Remind staff about the importance of properly considering an applicant’s specific circumstances when making transport decisions. In line with the Ombudsman’s ‘Principles of Good Administrative Practice’ the Council should remind staff of the importance of ensuring decisions are properly recorded;
• Remind staff of the need to consider a child’s ability to walk to school rather than their ability to use a bus service; and
• Remind staff of the requirement to seek the applicant’s consent before providing travel expenses, such as a taxi allowance.

Case Ref: 24 013 978 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Refuse and recycling

• The Council will update its website to ensure it clearly explains how residents living in flats are expected to report missed bin collections.