Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 011 178)

Statement Upheld Allocations 15-May-2025

Summary: Ms C complained that the Council failed to properly consider her medical conditions in refusing her request to bid on bungalows or houses. We found that the Council had not properly considered Ms C’s mental health condition or explained its reasons for discounting the medical evidence provided by her doctors. The Council has agreed to reconsider these points in a further review of her medical needs.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 018 450)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 31-Aug-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault as it delayed completing an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for Miss X’s child Y. It was also at fault as it did not properly consider its alternative provision duty when Y was not in school and it poorly communicated and handled Miss X’s complaint. The Council will apologise and make a symbolic payment to Miss X to recognise the avoidable frustration and uncertainty caused by its faults. It will also report back to us on the steps it will take to avoid similar issues from happening again.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 019 391)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Sep-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to amend his daughter, Y’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan after the 2023 annual review. He also complained the Council delayed completion of the 2024 annual review and EHC Plan reassessment. Mr X also complained about poor complaint handling. Mr X said this distressed him and frustrated his appeal right to the Tribunal. There was fault as the Council did not issue the final EHC Plan within statutory timescales and its complaint handling was poor. This frustrated Mr X and frustrated his right of appeal to the Tribunal. The Council will apologise, issue the final EHC Plan, make a financial payment and issue guidance to its staff.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 017 448)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 30-Sep-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s handling of her son, Y’s, annual review. Mrs X also complained the Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan did not focus on preparation for adulthood. Mrs X said this impacted school consultations, transition, Y’s mental health, and her mental and physical health. There was fault in the way the Council did not include provision to assist preparing for adulthood, delayed issuing the EHC Plan and complaint handling was poor. This distressed Mrs X and frustrated her appeal right to the Tribunal. The Council agreed to apologise, make a financial payment and issue guidance to its staff.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 009 565)

Statement Upheld Allocations 20-Oct-2025

Summary: Mr A complained that the Council has not moved him and his family although it has accepted he is in unsuitable accommodation. We found the Council is at fault and this delay has caused Mr A an injustice. We have recommended a financial remedy, which the Council has agreed to.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 021 237)

Statement Upheld Allocations 24-Nov-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council did not properly consider supporting evidence for his rehousing application and delayed reviewing his medical priority decision. The Council’s delayed medical priority review decision is fault. It caused Mr X distress and uncertainty. On the balance of probabilities, there is no fault in how the Council or medical review panel made its decision on Mr X’s medical priority, so we cannot question the outcome. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X for the delay, make a payment to recognise the distress caused and carry out the service recommendations.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 017 355)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 05-Dec-2025

Summary: Ms C complained about the Council’s handling of her son’s (X) education when he stopped attending his school placement, and delays in the EHC plan process. We found fault by the Council for causing significant delays in the statutory process and its failure to ensure X received an appropriate education in 2024. The Council will apologise and make payment to acknowledge the impact its faults had on Ms C and X.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (25 012 200)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Dec-2025

Summary: The Ombudsman carried out an investigation about not completing Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan annual reviews for children in its area. We asked the Council questions about the widespread impact of this action. The Council was at fault. It delayed carrying out a significant number of EHC Plan annual reviews for children in its area in 2024 and 2025. The action proposed by the Council to address the issue is a suitable remedy.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (24 014 390)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 29-Jan-2026

Summary: Miss X complained about delays and errors in the way the Council has dealt with both her homelessness application and her application for the housing register. We found there were significant delays and errors in the way the Council progressed Miss X’s homeless application which amount to fault. The Council’s failure to complete a review of Miss X’s request for medical priority is also fault. Miss X has experienced uncertainty and distress and incurred financial expense as a result of this fault. The Council will apologise and make payments to Miss X and carry out service improvements.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (25 000 579)

Statement Upheld Charging 12-Feb-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in carrying out a financial assessment for Mr Y and its actions in pursuing the debt after Mr Y had died. The Council has already provided apologies for the injustice caused by fault and explained service improvements it will make, and we could not achieve a more meaningful outcome by investigating the matter further.