Plymouth City Council (23 018 923)

Statement Upheld Safeguarding 08-Apr-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in responding to enquiries by him and the coroner’s office. The Council has apologised for the delay, which is appropriate, and we could not add to its investigation.

Plymouth City Council (23 013 254)

Statement Upheld Child protection 03-Jun-2024

Summary: Mr X complained about how the Council dealt with safeguarding matters relating to his child and that social workers acted unreasonably. He also complained about matters related to contact and court proceedings. We cannot consider matters related to the courts. However, we found the Council had failed to properly record and take account of important information relating to safeguarding and the Council should have agreed to escalate Mr X’s complaint when he requested this. We recommended and apology and modest payment.

Plymouth City Council (23 012 234)

Statement Upheld School transport 25-Jul-2024

Summary: There was fault by the Council in how it dealt with an application for school transport. It did not take account of the statutory guidance and its policy does not reflect this. The Council took too long to convene the appeal panel and did not call him during the hearing as promised. The Council’s failings have caused the parent distress, uncertainty, and frustration. The Council has agreed to remedy this.

Plymouth City Council (24 000 538)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 19-Aug-2024

Summary: There was a four-month delay by the Council in dealing with Ms X’s request for an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment. Communication and complaint handling were also poor. This caused avoidable distress and a delay in appeal rights. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment of £150 and provide us with a report on how it has reduced waiting times.

Plymouth City Council (23 014 213)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Oct-2024

Summary: Ms X complained the Council took too long to complete her daughter’s EHC plan review and issue an amended final EHC Plan. And has failed to provide her daughter with a suitable education or the provision specified in her EHC Plan since October 2022. The Council’s failure to complete the EHC Plan Annual Review in accordance with the statutory timeframes is fault. As is the failure to ensure Miss Y received a suitable education and the provisions in her EHC Plan between November 2022 and June 2023. The Council’s failure to respond to Ms X’s complaint is also fault. These faults have caused Ms X and Miss Y an injustice

Plymouth City Council (24 001 826)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 07-Nov-2024

Summary: We found fault on Miss W’s complaint about the way the Council dealt with her daughter when it decided to place her for adoption. It delayed telling her of abuse by the prospective adopter and a change of circumstances for almost two years. Records were incomplete, there was a failure to promptly get guidance, and case management was weak. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Plymouth City Council (24 001 120)

Statement Upheld Highway repair and maintenance 13-Nov-2024

Summary: We upheld Miss Y’s complaint about the Council’s response to a series of reports of defective highway drainage outside her home. We found the Council at fault for a combination of poor record keeping, poor communication and delay. This caused Miss Y an injustice, as avoidable distress. The Council has accepted these findings and at the end of this statement we explain how it will now remedy the injustice caused to Miss Y and improve its service.

Plymouth City Council (24 005 169)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 16-Dec-2024

Summary: The Council was at fault in its handling of Mr X's homelessness when he first approached in 2023 and when he made a further application in 2024. To remedy the injustice caused the Council has agreed to apologise and make payments to Mr X. The Council will also act to improve its services.

Plymouth City Council (24 003 766)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2025

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained the Council incurred delays in issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan for their son. They also complained the Council incurred delays in responding to their complaint. Mr and Mrs X say the Council’s actions caused avoidable stress and uncertainty to their son and the family. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and a financial remedy and make service improvements to prevent a re-occurrence.

Plymouth City Council (24 006 101)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 07-Mar-2025

Summary: Ms D complained about the Council’s handling of the Education, Health and Care plan process for her son (X) and its delay in finding him a suitable special school. The Council agreed it was at fault for failing to adhere to the statutory process and causing unnecessary delays in finding a school placement. We also found it failed to put in place alternative provision for X for nearly a year. The Council should apologise and make payment to Ms X to acknowledge the impact its faults had on her and X.