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.

Sheffield City Council

Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics

  • Complaints upheld

    73% of complaints we investigated were upheld.

    This compares to an average of 77% in similar authorities.

    19 upheld decisions

    Adjusted for Sheffield City Council's population, this is
    3.4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents
    .

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

    View upheld decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 26 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 18 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

  • Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council

    In 0% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.

    This compares to an average of 10% in similar authorities.

    0 satisfactory remedy decisions

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

    View all satisfactory remedy 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 Sheffield City Council

A vulnerable young Sheffield woman was told by the city council during its investigation into the abuse she suffered that she could have stopped it sooner if she had spoken up.

A Sheffield boy with special educational needs has missed out on much of his senior schooling because the city council did not provide suitable alternative education for him, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has asked Sheffield City Council to make a public apology to the people of the city after numerous problems were found with the way it removed street trees.

Sheffield City Council incorrectly assessed people for disabled blue badges, says an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

An Ombudsman investigation about a Sheffield schoolboy left without the right Special Educational Needs (SEN) support for 18 months, has highlighted how councils across the country could improve their practice.

The joint investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman found the woman was left without the right care package for more than a year, because of a dispute between Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, a mental health trust.

6

Public reports for Sheffield City Council

View all

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: 23 007 943

Category: Adult care services

Sub Category: Transport

  • The Council has agreed that it will review its Blue Badge Scheme policy to ensure it complies with national guidance.

Case reference: 23 001 080

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council will send written reminders to relevant staff of its responsibilities under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 when it is made aware a child is attending school part-time, or needs a special school placement. This should cover what the Council should consider when assessing the suitability of education and how it will provide, or work towards, a full-time education in such circumstances.

Case reference: 22 015 298

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council has agreed to circulate guidance to its panel of IRP clerks, to ensure they are aware the statutory guidance says that, where they have requested the attendance of a SEN expert at a review meeting, but the expert is not present, parents may ask for the meeting to be adjourned until the expert is available; and that the IRP must explain this right to parents.

Case reference: 22 013 386

Category: Children's care services

Sub Category: Other

  • The Council has agreed to remind staff of the complaint process and procedures.

Case reference: 21 013 182

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • Reviews its guidance to staff on when its Section 19 duty is triggered to ensure the recommendations in the Ombudsman’s focus report above are reflected in this. The Council should consider including guidance on our recommendation that councils should choose, based on all the evidence, whether to enforce attendance or provide the child with suitable alternative education.
  • Ensure there is a clear audit trail to evidence decisions taken on non-attendance and alternative provision.
  • Shares this decision with relevant staff members.

Case reference: 22 000 694

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council should review its procedures to ensure that administrative errors (such as sending the wrong documents) do not recur.

Case reference: 21 018 782

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council will provide training or guidance to staff working in Children’s Services on the Council’s statutory duties, including timescales for the Education Health and Care plan review process; notifying rights of appeal with a final Education Health and Care plan and the duty to secure section f provision (educational provision outlined in the Education Health and Care plan).

Case reference: 21 011 551

Category: Environment and regulation

Sub Category: Licensing

  • The Council will remind staff in its Parks and Countryside Service and Licensing Service of its complaints policy. This will include when to respond to contact as a complaint and that they should work together to provide complainants with a joined up, comprehensive and timely response when they receive complaints about issues that involve more than one service.

Case reference: 21 011 239

Category: Environment and regulation

Sub Category: COVID-19

  • The Council has agreed to circulate guidance to relevant staff to ensure they understand its policy on dealing with complaints about waste collection.

Case reference: 21 010 289

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council will review its processes to ensure it amends and issues Education Health and Care Plans (EHC Plans) following an annual review in line with statutory timescales and the requirements of the SEND Code of Practice. It will also review its procedures for carrying out interim / emergency reviews of EHC Plans, in line with the requirements of the Code.
  • The Council will ensure it has a mechanism in place to check provision specified in an Education Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) is arranged from the start of a new or amended plan. It will also review sources of Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) services and develop a plan to ensure it can commission SALT therapies needed to support the EHC Plans it maintains.
  • The Council will explain the work completed with the Integrated Care Board and Children’s Hospital and other partners to review Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) services across the city, to ensure there is adequate high-quality support for all children who need SALT input. The Council will also submit a report on this to the relevant council scrutiny committee.

44

Service improvements agreed by Sheffield City Council

View all

Last updated: 4 April 2015

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