Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
95% Complaints upheld by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
95% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 80% in similar authorities.
18 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council's population, this is
6.3 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 19 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
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 12 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
6% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
In 6% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 14% in similar authorities.
1 satisfactory remedy decision
Statistics are based on a total of 18 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
No reports published
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: 23 020 235
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Refuse and recycling
- The Council should review its current process in place for its bin men to be able to raise issues they come across when collecting bins. It should take this case into consideration when doing so.If there is not a system in place, the Council should consider implementing one.
Case reference: 23 010 532
Category: Education
Sub Category: School transport
- The Council will remind staff involved in free school transport appeals that when deciding if there were closer suitable schools, they must check a school place was available to the child at the time of the admission applications.
Case reference: 23 008 852
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- Provide guidance and training to its staff about when and how it should consider its Section 19 duty to provide education. The Council should refer to the Ombudsman’s guidance, Out of school… out of mind? How councils can do more to give children out of school a good education,published in 2016, when providing this guidance and training to its staff.
Case reference: 23 005 518
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the guidance which states within four weeks of a review meeting, a council must notify the child’s parent of its decision to maintain, amend or discontinue the EHC plan. (Section 20(10) Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and SEN Code paragraph 9.176); following comments from the child’s parent or the young person, if the council decides to continue to make amendments, it must issue the amended EHC plan as soon as practicable and within eight weeks of the date it sent the EHC plan and proposed amendments to the parents. (Section 22(3) SEND Regulations 2014 and SEN Code paragraph 9.196); councils need to have a strategic overview of the provision available in their area and to identify and resolve gaps in provision. (participation of young people in education, employment or training statutory guidance for council’s); and councils are required to collect information about young people so that those who are NEET can be identified and given support to re-engage
Case reference: 23 004 475
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed to review its policies and procedures to ensure it is able to identify when EHC plan assessment cases have failed to meet the statutory twenty-week target and confirm what action it will take following identified delays, including any escalation timeframes and procedures. If the Council has already completed such a review in the last 12 months, it will share its action plan with us.
- The Council agreed to undertake a detailed review of its working practices and policies so that it retains oversight and responsibility for its duties to children unable to attend school.
- The Council will provide training to all staff involved in EHC plan arrangements relating to the Code, specifically:a) when a EHC plan should be finalised and issued; andb) about the Council’s alternative provision duties under section 19.If the Council has already implemented training in the last 12 months, it will share an overview of what training was delivered to whom and when.
- The Council agreed to provide a report to a relevant overview and scrutiny committee about the timeliness of EHC plan assessment progress with the Council’s action plan, and what further steps need to be taken to ensure assessments are completed, final EHC plans issued within statutory timescales and alternative provision put in place when required by law. If the Council has already completed such a report in the last 12 months, it will share a copy of said report with us.
Case reference: 23 002 105
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Produce an action plan to demonstrate how the council will meet statutory timescales for EHCP annual reviews.
- Complete a review of its policy regarding the making and recording of reasonable adjustments in relation to Council services.
- Provide us with evidence it has complied with the actions it has already said it will take, together with evidence of any outcomes, outlined below:• Reviews its EHCP process to ensure there is no confusion in responsibilities.• Reviews its Personal budget process to ensure there is clear process for review.• Ensure staff receive training on the Equality Act.• Reviews its business continuity plan to ensure key performance timescales are protected when normal business is interrupted.• Support staff named within the complaint to understand the limits of their role and provide appropriate training.
Case reference: 23 002 103
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Produce an action plan to demonstrate how the council will meet statutory timescales for EHCP annual reviews.
- Complete a review of its policy regarding the making and recording of reasonable adjustments in relation to Council services.
- Provide us with evidence it has complied with the actions it has already said it will take, together with evidence of any outcomes, outlined below:•Reviews its EHCP process to ensure there is no confusion in responsibilities.•Reviews its Personal budget process to ensure there is clear process for review.•Ensure staff receive training on the Equality Act.•Reviews its business continuity plan to ensure key performance timescales are protected when normal business is interrupted.•Support staff named within the complaint to understand the limits of their role and provide appropriate training.
Case reference: 23 001 803
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- Council will identify how error occurred in the classification of a placement and take steps to avoid recurrence.
Case reference: 23 001 242
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Review procedures to ensure it meets it duties around EHC plan timescales.
- Issue schools with guidance about inviting all professionals/services named in EHC plan to review meetings and ensuring these meetings are minuted.
Case reference: 22 012 545
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- Remind relevant staff to complete annual reviews of EHC Plans in accordance with statutory timescales set out in the law, Regulations and Code.
- By training or otherwise, remind staff of the importance of adhering to the Council’s complaint procedure.
Last updated: 4 April 2015