Case Ref: 20 012 527 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to review whether there are no longer any shortcomings with regards to the care provider's record keeping.

Case Ref: 20 010 454 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transport

• The Council shouldprovide evidence of how it has reviewed and updated its desktop assessmentprocess for Blue Badge applications.

Case Ref: 20 008 267 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to change its procedure and allow people to challenge a decision by the Council, when it decides not to apply a discretionary property disregard.

Case Ref: 20 007 732 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Disabled children

• The Council has agreed to consider whether there is a more suitable method for cases to be kept open that can be used by staff where Child In Need is not a suitable choice.
• The Council will communicate with staff about the appropriateness of using Child in Need records when the case does not meet the threshold. The Council will also consider whether this administrative error has impacted on any other cases held with the Council.

Case Ref: 20 006 584 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council was at fault for a failure to provide the complainant with information she requested and should have received. During the course of the investigation, it became clear that it had also failed to provide the Ombudsman with information we had requested. Therefore, the Council should take steps to improve its information management systems and to ensure that important information is stored in easily accessible form. It should write to the Ombudsman within two months of the date of this decision and set out what steps it has taken.

Case Ref: 20 006 357 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council was at fault for delaying its processing of the Adoption Support Fund applications. It agreed to confirm what steps it has taken to ensure that in the future it processes the Adoption Support Fund applications without delay.

Case Ref: 19 018 217 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to share the lessons learned about financial assessments, disability related expenses and its appeal process, with officer and managers involved in these.
• The Council will review its disability related expenses appeal process in light of the lessons learned.
• The Council has agreed to ensure that clients are given an opportunity, as part of the disability related expenses appeal process, to discuss their case directly with the manager responsible for making the decision, when the client requests this.
• The Council will review and revise the wording of paragraph 17.2 of its Charging Policy

Case Ref: 19 015 446 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council agreed to revise its practice guidance on deprivation of assets to ensure it includes reference to the statutory complaints procedure.

Case Ref: 20 001 844 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• Provide evidence it has updated its school transport procedures to ensure it gives clear explanations of its decisions on transport assistance, including what factors it considered and its rationale.
• Provide evidence it has updated its school transport appeal procedure to follow the recommended two-stage procedure in the statutory guidance and include clear timescales in its policy.

Case Ref: 19 021 003 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to establish a clear process which ensures staff gather relevant information to support a request for any property disregard in a timely manner.