Advice on comparing statistics across years

In 2022-23 we changed our investigation processes, contributing towards an increase in the average uphold rate across all complaints. Consider comparing individual council uphold rates against the average rate rather than against previous years.

In 2020-21 we received and decided fewer complaints than normal because we stopped accepting new complaints for three months due to Covid-19.

Northumberland County Council

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Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics

  • Complaints upheld

    84% of complaints we investigated were upheld.

    This compares to an average of 72% in similar authorities.

    16 upheld decisions

    Adjusted for Northumberland County Council's population, this is
    5 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents    .

    The average for authorities of this type is
    4.7 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.

    View upheld decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 19 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

  • Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations

    100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.

    This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.

    Statistics are based on a total of 15 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

  • Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council

    In 25% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.

    This compares to an average of 13% in similar authorities.

    4 satisfactory remedy decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 16 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

    View all satisfactory remedy decisions
View all decisions

Annual letters

We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.

View annual letters

Public reports ?Find out more about public reports

In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against Northumberland County Council

Northumberland County Council has agreed to look again at families’ applications for school transport for teenagers with special educational needs after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found its policy was flawed.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has asked Northumberland County Council to reconsider how it supports a man with disabilities after its failings left him unable to go on holiday.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Northumberland County Council for the way it treated a family in crisis.

Northumberland Council has been asked to improve its Children’s Services complaints procedure following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).

4

Public reports for Northumberland County Council

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Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements

Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.

Case reference: 22 016 881

Category: Adult care services

Sub Category: Charging

  • Remind officers that care plans should adhere to the requirements of the Care Act 2014, specifically to ensure they set out the service users’ needs that the Council is going to meet, and how it is going to meet them.

Case reference: 22 015 896

Category: Environment and regulation

Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

  • The Council will remind relevant staff about the correct threshold for the antisocial behaviour case review procedure.

Case reference: 22 010 942

Category: Planning

Sub Category: Planning applications

  • The Council failed to properly consider a planning application potentially causing injustice to others who live close to the development. The Council agreed to attempt to negotiate with the developer to improve screening. The Council should offer to pay for the costs of screening and other necessary works.
  • The Council should review its use of standard paragraphs in planning case officer reports to ensure that site specific details and reasons are included.
  • The Council will consider whether it has the staff to deliver an adequate service and that staff have the support necessary to carry out their work.
  • The Council will report our findings and the outcome of the review of its use of standard paragraphs in planning case officer reports to its relevant scrutiny committee so it can have oversight of any changes that are made.

Case reference: 21 017 997

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Allocations

  • The Council should ensure that it corrects the fault with its housing allocation automatic bidding system, so that the correct floor level is selected when it makes bids on applicants’ behalf.

Case reference: 22 001 758

Category: Planning

Sub Category: Planning applications

  • The planning officer did not refer specifically to the comments made by a neighbour in his report. The Council has agreed to provide details of training for planning officers.

Case reference: 21 015 998

Category: Children's care services

Sub Category: Child protection

  • The Council will review its processes to ensure it completes investigations under the children's statutory complaints process within statutory timescales.

Case reference: 21 011 766

Category: Adult care services

Sub Category: Safeguarding

  • The Council has agreed to produce a procedure or guidance for relevant staff on addressing unacceptable behaviour from service users. This should include ensuring that the service user is aware of the behaviour in issue and advised of the potential consequences of any continued unacceptable behaviour.

Case reference: 21 011 559

Category: Other Categories

Sub Category: Commercial and contracts

  • The Council agreed to adopt, and publish on its website, a policy about the use of its land by residents for off road parking.

Case reference: 21 009 137

Category: Children's care services

Sub Category: Disabled children

  • The Council has agreed to review how it ensures that up to date care plans are completed before any transition to new services, and how it communicates this with professionals and parents/guardians before the transition.

Case reference: 21 006 778

Category: Environment and regulation

Sub Category: Licensing

  • The Council has agreed to remind staff, through appropriate training, and across departments where necessary, of the criteria for different licence types - in particular the criteria for pedlar's licences, street trading permits and concession licence agreements.

26

Service improvements agreed by Northumberland County Council

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Last updated: 4 April 2015

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