Case Ref: 25 001 974 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Train relevant staff on the legal steps the Council should take before it decides to end the relief duty in line with the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Code of Guidance.

Case Ref: 24 015 539 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• •provide guidance and training to relevant staff about the Council’s non-delegable duty under Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2024. This is to ensure the Council provides the specified special educational provision contained in Section F of an Education, Health and Care Plan for the child or young person.
• •produce an action plan to demonstrate how the Council will meet statutory timescales for annual reviews of Education, Health and Care Plans including post-16 annual reviews.

Case Ref: 24 009 484 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to make relevant staff sufficiently aware of its duty to deliver children's special educational needs support, even when they are not in school.
• The Council has agreed to write to us, setting out a plan of action to ensure – in future – it overcomes similar problems to those it has faced finding a school for Miss X's daughter.

Case Ref: 24 008 175 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

• Share the Ombudsman's decision with staff involved in dealing with reports of anti-social behaviour and remind it that it should consider liaising with the police where appropriate, and that it should refer complainants to the right to request an antisocial behaviour review.
• Share the Ombudsman's decision with staff that handle complaints, and remind it that it should not refer owner-occupiers to the Housing Ombudsman Service, as they cannot use that service. It should refer owner-occupiers who complain about antisocial behaviour to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Case Ref: 24 002 456 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will review its complaints policy in light of the Ombudsman’s guidance referred to in paragraphs 27 and 28 of this decision statement.
• The Council will put in place a process to ensure proper management of complaints so where a delay occurs it is identified and acted on.
• The Council will remind officers dealing with medical assessments of:the need to ensure a note is kept of the date from which medical priority applies, based on when the relevant medical evidence has been submitted; and the need to check previous correspondence on a case when dealing with requests for review or complaints to ensure responses are consistent.

Case Ref: 23 006 213 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

• Review its procedures to ensure Housing Benefit appeal requests are properly identified and referred to the Tribunal where required.
• Remind staff to clearly explain and issue appeal rights in all Council Tax Support and discount decisions, regardless of whether the Council considers there to be residual liability.

Case Ref: 24 010 673 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• The Council will issue a written reminder to a local adult care provider to remind its staff to maintain accurate and complete records for all service users and to ensure information is given in a clear and understandable way.

Case Ref: 23 021 298 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• By training or other means, remind officers of the provisions in Section 213 of the Housing Act 1996 for requesting a reciprocal agreement from another council where the applicant may be at risk of violence or serious harassment in its area and that requests should be made without delay.

Case Ref: 23 017 979 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• The Council agreed to ensure information about the right to appeal Long Term Empty Premium decisions is given on all accounts where it is applied.
• The Council agreed to review why the delays took place and take steps to ensure they cannot be repeated on future cases.
• The Council agreed to take steps to ensure applicants are updated and kept informed about progress on their Grant applications and works where agency arrangements exist.
• The Council agreed to ensure officers take account of any period of delay caused by the Council through the Grant process when considering requests for waivers of the Long Term Empty Premium charge.

Case Ref: 23 008 951 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Traffic management

• The Council will issue guidance to Members to ensure complaints are forwarded appropriately or complainants advised about how to make a complaint at the earliest opportunity so that they are dealt with in accordance with the Council’s complaints procedure.