Service improvements

Warrington Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2025

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 9 of 9 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Warrington Council as a CSV file.

  • Warrington Council (23 016 966)

    Category: Education Date: 28-Aug-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the way the Council dealt with Z’s Education, Health and Care Plan and education and special educational needs provision. We have found fault by the Council in: failing to make alternative provision for Z from January to March 2023; deliver Z’s SEN provision from January to July 2023; and complete the EHC Plan review process within the statutory timescales. This fault caused injustice. The Council has agreed to remedy this by: apologising; making payments to reflect the distress and worry caused and the impact on Z of the missed provision; issuing the final amended EHC Plan; and making a service improvement.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind officers of the statutory timescales for completing EHC Plan reviews and the requirement to comply with these timescales.

  • Warrington Council (23 005 182)

    Category: Education Date: 11-Oct-2023

    Summary

    There was fault in the Council delaying arranging suitable alternative provision for a child out of school, and not bringing forward an annual review of an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP). There was also fault it did not issue a final EHCP after the review within required timescales. The faults caused Mrs X and their child an injustice because of the uncertainty about future special education provision, and the lost education. The Council have already made an offer of a remedy for this injustice to Mrs X’s child, and it has agreed to my further recommendations to fully remedy the injustice I saw.

    Service improvements

    The Council was at fault for not properly considering whether a child out of school was getting alternative education provision. It also delayed finalising an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP), which delayed special education provision. This meant a child was without suitable education for three school terms. The Council should ensure its case workers have read the LGSCO focus report which deals with its responsibilities when a child is out of school. The Council already have an action plan dealing with how SEN caseworkers manage EHCP's

  • Warrington Council (22 017 198)

    Category: Education Date: 19-Feb-2024

    Summary

    The complainant’s representative (Miss X) said the Council failed to provide her son (Y) with adequate education and special educational needs support and transition to adulthood. We found fault in the way the Council carried out Y’s Annual Review and his transition assessment. We also found fault with the way the Council made transport arrangements for Y to attend his college. Some of the Council’s faults caused injustice to Y and Miss X. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay Miss X an equivalent of a mileage allowance for the period the Council should have been providing transport to Y and make payments to Y and Miss X to recognise their distress. The Council has also agreed to carry out some service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide the evidence of monitoring timeliness of annual reviews, as suggested in its response to Miss X's complaint.The Council will improve communication between the special educational needs team and the transport team to ensure there are no delays in making transport arrangements once a child's or young person's eligibility is established.Senior leaders of the Children and Education and Adult Social Care departments will review the Council's process for deciding when a transition for adulthood assessment should be carried out to ensure that for every young person it happens at the right time.

  • Warrington Council (22 013 107)

    Category: Education Date: 26-Jun-2023

    Summary

    Ms X complains the Council failed to provide suitable alternative education for her son. Further the Council failed to complete her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan accurately, and within the legal time limits. We find fault with the Council for failing to adhere to statutory timescales, failing to communicate properly with Ms X, and failing to complete the EHCP as agreed causing frustration and distress to Ms X. We agreed a symbolic payment and other remedies for the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The council should ensure the SEN staff are aware of the EHCP timescales, improve the monitoring of EHCP timescales, and are aware of the importance of thorough and timely communication with parents / carers.

  • Warrington Council (22 005 296)

    Category: Planning Date: 18-Jan-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to take appropriate and timely enforcement action regarding a breach of planning control near his home. Mr X says this has created a danger to road users, is unsightly, and cost him time and effort progressing the matter with the Council. We find the Council at fault for significant delays in acting and updating Mr X. We recommend it apologises to Mr X, pays him £200 for uncertainty and acts to prevent recurrence.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff who deal with enforcement complaints they should update complainants on key actions and decisions reached during their investigation.

  • Warrington Council (21 015 132)

    Category: Education Date: 13-Jun-2022

    Summary

    The Council’s failure to consider relevant information in an appeal about free school transport was fault. The Council has agreed to fund the transport, apologise, and update its policy.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review and update its home to school transport policy.

  • Warrington Council (21 013 725)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 01-Sep-2022

    Summary

    We found fault on Mr J’s complaint about how the Council responded to his reports of his property flooding and to his formal complaint. The Council communicated poorly with him but took steps to improve communication in the future. The Council failed to keep proper records. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to remind officers of the need to keep records of works carried out on their behalf.The Council agreed to review why it could not provide copies of all complaint responses.

  • Warrington Council (21 003 450)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 25-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complains the Council left her mother, Mrs Y, in residential care for too long, resulting in her paying too much for her care. The length of time Mrs Y spent in residential care was due to COVID-19, not fault by the Council. However, the Council failed to assess Mrs Y’s finances properly. It therefore needs to reconsider its decision on the extent to which she deprived herself of capital.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to take action to ensure officers deal with decisions on deprivation of capital in line with the Guidance.

  • Warrington Council (20 004 016)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 04-Nov-2021

    Summary

    Mr X complained about how the Council provided for his, and his son, Mr Q’s, social care needs. Based on the information we have seen, there was fault in how the Council calculated and managed Mr Q’s direct payments. This caused an underpayment to Mr Q and avoidable frustration, time and trouble to Mr X. The Council agreed to pay the outstanding direct payments to Mr Q, apologise to Mr X and make a payment to recognise the effects on him. It also agreed to review how it manages direct payments for people with complex care needs.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to review how it monitors and calculates changes in direct payments for people with complex care needs to ensure it: keeps accurate records of its calculations and any changes; makes changes or amendments to direct payments promptly following reviews; and uses the correct figures when calculating and underpayments due.

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