Case Ref: 24 023 416 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• We are satisfied that the Council has identified the actions necessary to improve its service. The Council should provide a report to the relevant overview and scrutiny committee six months after implementation of the changes, evaluating their effectiveness in addressing the faults identified in this report and identifying any further improvements required.

Case Ref: 24 018 996 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will review its technical processes for issuing housing register bidding numbers to ensure bidding numbers are issued without delay.
• The Council will check if the technical issues identified in this complaint have affected other housing register applicants.

Case Ref: 24 015 224 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to share a copy of this decision with staff in the relevant departments toidentify the learning from this complaint.
• The Council has agreed to provide training or guidance to relevant staff on dealing with damp andmould in temporary accommodation, based on the government guidance.
• The Council has agreed to tell landlords and managing agents of temporary accommodation that theCouncil expects them to follow the government guidance on damp and mould aspart of the information shared with accommodation providers.

Case Ref: 24 011 517 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to review how it arranges and oversees packages of none-school-based education. The Council should ensure it has adequate processes in place to check that packages are in place and that these are reviewed at suitable intervals.
• The Council agreed to review how it manages absences of special educational needs staff to ensure workloads/cases are managed effectively when assigned staff are not available.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant staff about how they should follow the Council’s complaints procedure, including any requests for escalation, and how to ensure complaints are recorded properly.

Case Ref: 24 008 582 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to stop the practice of offering remedies as “full and final settlement” of a complaint and requiring complainants to sign forms which imply they cannot continue their complaint further if they accept.
• The Council has agreed to share this decision, our previous decisions about Ms Y’s case, and the actions identified with the relevant Cabinet Member or scrutiny committee to ensure democratic oversight.

Case Ref: 24 008 161 Category: Planning Sub Category: Other

• The Council will review the street naming and numbering application and associated process to identify what changes are needed to avoid a repetition of the accepted issue on the ground at other new developments.
• The Council will consult with all affected residents about the options for the naming and/or numbering of the development (the consultation should follow the relevant best practice guidance and ensure all affected residents including those with disabilities are able to fully engage in the process). The Council will reach a decision about what, if any, action the Council proposes to take and advise residents accordingly. The Council should complete any changes within a reasonable time period.
• The Council should provide the Ombudsman with a copy of its Street Naming and Numbering Policy, its new Corporate Complaints Procedure and Reasonable Adjustment Policy once these policies have been approved

Case Ref: 24 005 075 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

• The Council should circulate detailed guidance to all relevant staff, to ensure they understand the purpose and process of an ASB case review.

Case Ref: 24 004 562 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to stop the practice of offering financial remedies as “full and final settlement” of a complaint, conditional on the complainant closing or withdrawing their complaint or not complaining to the Ombudsman.

Case Ref: 24 003 768 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will provide the Ombudsman with a copy of the operational guidance for frontline staff regarding covert recordings which will provide clear procedures and expectations to ensure consistent and transparent practice.

Case Ref: 23 016 790 Category: Other Categories Sub Category: Leisure and culture

• The Council has agreed to share a copy of the Ombudsman's Principles of Good Administrative Practice with officers involved in this investigation.
• The Council has agreed to refine its procedure for reviewing applications and allocating sporting resources to local groups. It will specify that mandatory moderation should take place after applications are scored. It will also specify that decisions on allocating resources are formally documented at the time they are taken, in a manner consistent with the Ombudsman's Principles of Good Administrative Practice.