Case Ref: 23 019 894 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council was at fault for implementing an unlawful policy to temporarily provide 50% of the speech and language therapy needed in Education Health and Care Plans. The Council agreed to undertake a written review of its decision to implement a policy that was unlawful. The review should explain the actions the Council will take to make sure future policies are checked for compliance with its statutory duties. It should explain how it will tell parents and carers about policy decisions which impact the delivery of provision needed in Education, Health and Care Plans.

Case Ref: 23 007 511 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• Continue to provide staff training on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 including the powers of LPAs under its existing MCA training framework and e-learning modules. This training should continue to be delivered to Council staff and those at The Gables.
• Provide domestic abuse awareness training to staff at The Gables.
• Provide a workshop on record keeping. This training should have regard to our guidance ‘good record keeping’. This training/workshop should be delivered to Council staff and those at The Gables.

Case Ref: 23 005 064 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council was at fault for implementing an unlawful policy to temporarily provide 50% of the speech and language therapy needed in Education Health and Care Plans. The Council agreed to undertake a written review of its decision to implement a policy that was unlawful. The review should explain the actions the Council will take to make sure future policies are checked for compliance with its statutory duties. It should explain how it will tell parents and carers about policy decisions which impact the delivery of provision needed in Education, Health and Care Plans.

Case Ref: 23 004 527 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will undertake a written review of its processes for considering the circumstances of children who are not in receipt of full-time education. The review will also consider the Council’s process for considering personal budget requests. Following the review, the Council will provide guidance and training to staff on the new protocols.

Case Ref: 22 017 171 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to review its complaint procedure to ensure specific concerns about care are addressed within complaint responses in addition to any safeguarding referrals.
• The Council has agreed to review its financial information sheets/leaflets/internet links to make sure complete information is provided to family members about care charges and contributions at an early stage and always before a large invoice is sent out.

Case Ref: 22 016 611 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will revise its procedures for assessment and care planning to ensure staff are clear that requests for direct payments must be dealt with in a timely manner. It should consider setting out timescales in its revised procedures.

Case Ref: 22 016 237 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council was at fault during a safeguarding investigation because it did not properly tell someone they were believed to be a person who caused harm to another in line with its policy. The Council will remind its staff of the policy it has in place to ensure it properly informs those affected by a safeguarding investigation.

Case Ref: 22 015 812 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Street furniture and lighting

• The Council will finalise its service improvement plan for the Highway Department and Legal Orders team to highlight the critical necessity of ensuring that Traffic Regulation Orders are consistently recorded, catalogued, and stored effectively to improve record retention.
• The Council will remove stickers from an old charitable scheme encouraging cycling from a stretch of pavement as they are misleading about the status of the pavement.

Case Ref: 21 003 116 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will ensure all special educational needs case officers and their managers will:review our Focus Report 'Out of school, out of sight? Ensuring children out of school get a good education' published in July 2022;review paragraphs 9.3 - 9.9 of the statutory guidance 'SEND Code of Practice; to be reminded a request for an Education Health and Care needs assessment is not necessary for the process to start.The Council will provide us with the evidence the above action has been completed.

Case Ref: 22 010 300 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will consider amending information about the statutory children's complaints on its website to include: who can complain; which matters will be considered under this procedure. The Council should provide us with the evidence it has complied with the above.