The North Northumberland Hospice (21 016 410)

Statement Upheld Domiciliary care 16-May-2022

Summary: We upheld a complaint about end-of-life care. The Care Provider will apologise and review its procedures for record-keeping.

Northumberland County Council (20 014 396)

Statement Upheld Disabled facilities grants 05-Jun-2022

Summary: Mr X and his parents, Mr and Mrs Y complained about the Council’s failure to ensure adaptations to their property, funded by a Disabled Facilities Grant, were carried out to an acceptable standard and related matters. We have found the Council to be at fault because it did not properly record variations to the Schedule of Works. The Council has agreed to apologise for the frustration caused to the complainants. We have not identified any other areas of fault. The Ombudsman is unable to interfere with the Council’s professional assessment that the overall standard of the adaptation was acceptable.

Northumberland County Council (21 011 766)

Statement Upheld Safeguarding 21-Jun-2022

Summary: The Council was at fault for ending its support of Mr X without warning and without considering referring him to an advocate. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X, pay him £500 and take action to improve its service.

Northumberland County Council (21 011 559)

Statement Upheld Commercial and contracts 29-Jun-2022

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of her request to use its land for car parking. We found no fault in the Council’s substantive decision making. But its poor communication caused Ms X avoidable distress and frustration, which it had suitably put right with its apologies and offer to waive its £250 legal costs. The Council also agreed to formally adopt and publish a policy about use of its land for car parking.

Northumberland County Council (21 014 608)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 24-Jul-2022

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s granting of planning permission for his neighbour’s extension and its failure to take enforcement action due to increases in the height of the extension and patio. We do not find fault in how the Council considered the retrospective planning application for the increased extension height. However, the Council has accepted it failed to consider the increased patio height and the impact this would have on neighbouring amenity when granting planning permission. This fault has caused of loss of amenity for Mr and Mrs X. To remedy this, the Council has agreed to apologise to Mr and Mrs X and make them a payment.

Northumberland County Council (21 009 137)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 02-Aug-2022

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to provider adequate support to her daughter during the transition to new services, which meant she did not receive support. Mrs X also complained about how the Council communicated about the timeframe for the transition. The Ombudsman intends to find fault with the Council for how it managed the transition to the new provider. The Ombudsman does not intend to find fault with the Council for how decided the timeline for the transition. The Ombudsman recommends a financial remedy and service improvements.

Northumberland County Council (21 004 235)

Report Upheld School transport 17-Aug-2022

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decision not to provide her son, Y, with transport to college. Miss X said the Council failed to properly consider Y’s circumstances and her appeal, and its communication was poor.

Northumberland County Council (21 015 998)

Statement Upheld Child protection 24-Aug-2022

Summary: Miss X complained about the way the Council handled the child protection process for her child, S, about delays in the statutory children’s complaints procedure and about the Council’s refusal to accept one element of the stage 3 panel’s findings. The Council was at fault for not actively engaging with Miss X’s domestic abuse support worker and for delays in the complaints process. It should apologise and pay Miss X a further £150, making a total payment of £250, to remedy the frustration and distress caused.

Northumberland County Council (22 000 583)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 25-Aug-2022

Summary: Ms B complained that the Council failed to properly consider an application for planning permission for a development next to her property. We find the Council was at fault in that there were inaccuracies and omissions in the case officer’s report. However, we do not consider this affected the decision on the planning application. The Council has provided a satisfactory remedy for the injustice caused to Ms B.

Northumberland County Council (22 009 991)

Statement Upheld Other 31-Oct-2022

Summary: We have upheld this complaint that the Council failed to adhere to the timescale set out in the statutory procedure for children’s services. The Council has agreed to resolve the matter by providing a suitable remedy.