Service improvements

Medway Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Medway Council as a CSV file.

  • Medway Council (23 009 512)

    Category: Housing Date: 18-Mar-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s lack of action and communication when he reported his landlord failed to address disrepair, mould and damp issues at his privately rented property. We found the Council at fault for letting the case drift, not properly considering Mr X’s concerns and failing to record or explain its decisions to Mr X at the time. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to share the Ombudsman’s Guidance on Good Administrative Practice with Private Sector Housing Officers and send written reminders to relevant staff to: to clearly record decisions about what action it intends to take with private housing disrepair issues, explaining what it has considered and the reasons for this;to ensure these decisions are communicated with the complainant; andto set a time period for repairs works to be carried out if it takes an informal approach. So when this passes, it can then consider whether further action is necessary.

  • Medway Council (23 007 166)

    Category: Education Date: 11-Mar-2024

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to provide her with support for her special educational needs, as set out in her Education, Health and Care Plan. We found the Council to be at fault. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payments to Miss X and her mother to acknowledge the distress caused by the lack of specialist provision.

    Service improvements

    Provide relevant staff with a copy of this decision statement. This is to serve as a reminder of the duty to ensure the SEN support set out in Section F of the EHC Plan remains with the Council and cannot be delegated to educational institutions.

  • Medway Council (22 014 575)

    Category: Housing Date: 20-Jun-2023

    Summary

    the Council failed to act when Mr B reported his landlord harassing him and illegally evicting him. The Council also gave Mr B misleading information in its complaint responses. An apology, payment to Mr B and training for officers is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will set up a system to store information about landlords where the Council has had previous involvement due to the landlord not acting in accordance with the legislation so the private sector housing team has access to the information when considering any further reports of problems with the same landlord, subject to data protection rules.The Council will carry out a training session for officers in the private sector housing team to remind them of the Council’s powers under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, the Council’s policy and the action officers are expected to take when a report of harassment or illegal eviction by an landlord is reported.

  • Medway Council (22 013 955)

    Category: Education Date: 22-Aug-2023

    Summary

    The Council’s delay making the provision in Child B’s Education, Health and Care plan was fault. The Council has agreed to apologise, provide services, make payments to Child B and Ms X, and act to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that the Council should secure assessments from relevant professionals as part of the EHC assessment process. Where such assessments are not available through the NHS, the Council should arrange its own or reimburse the parent for assessments procured privately.The Council has agreed to identify and implement a process to enable the Council to promptly approve funding for alternative provision and EOTAS and keep track of any provision not yet in place or requiring review.

  • Medway Council (22 011 749)

    Category: Education Date: 16-Apr-2023

    Summary

    Mrs D complained about the Council’s delays in completing an annual review of her son’s Education, Health and Care plan. We find the Council was at fault for its delays in completing the annual review. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware when an annual review must take place and the statutory timescales for issuing EHC plans after an annual review.

  • Medway Council (22 011 606)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 25-Jun-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complains about how the Council dealt with the installation of a wet room funded by a disabled facilities grant for Y. The Council is at fault as it has not satisfied itself that the wet room as constructed meets Y’s needs and it did not satisfy itself that the works were of a satisfactory standard. This has caused uncertainty to Mr X which the Council will remedy by arranging an independent occupational therapist assessment to determine if the wet room meets Y’s needs and clarify the works it is willing to remedy.

    Service improvements

    Review its procedures for disabled facilities grants to ensure the Council satisfies itself that works undertaken for a disabled facilities grant are of a satisfactory standard. This is to ensure the Council is properly discharging its duty to meet an applicant’s assessed needs.

  • Medway Council (22 011 604)

    Category: Education Date: 03-Apr-2023

    Summary

    Miss D complained about the actions of the Council in respect of her son C’s special educational needs. We found fault with the gathering of evidence for the assessment, the complaint handling and some of the communication with her. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss D, pay her £500 and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to take steps to ensure that it will fully discuss with parents and carers, which professionals it will approach for reports as part of the assessment process and considers alternatives where NHS services are not available.

  • Medway Council (21 015 095)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 15-May-2023

    Summary

    Mr B complains the Council did not properly consider his request to write off council tax debt when he cannot afford to pay. He says the Council did not properly consider his circumstances and the impact on his mental health or make reasonable adjustments. Mr B also says the Council wrongly declined his application for a test and trace payment. We do not find fault in how the Council considered Mr B’s test and trace application. However, we find fault in how the Council considered reasonable adjustments for Mr B.

    Service improvements

    Review its procedures and consider what measures it can introduce to ensure staff are aware of the need to anticipate and actively prompt for reasonable adjustments when communicating with people who have disabilities, particularly where it is a hidden disability.

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