Wiltshire Council (22 007 513)

Statement Upheld Allocations 25-Apr-2023

Summary: Mr X complains the Council has failed to make reasonable adjustments to allow him to bid on three bedroom properties. The Council is at fault as there is no evidence to show it properly considered Mr X’s request for a reasonable adjustment to its housing allocations policy or considered if it should exercise discretion to depart from its policy. But we cannot know what the outcome would have been for Mr X and we cannot achieve anything more for Mr X as the Council has now offered a property to him.

Wiltshire Council (22 012 983)

Statement Upheld Child protection 14-May-2023

Summary: Mr B says the Council’s designated officer for allegations failed to properly oversee the allegation management process, failed to ensure the process was fair and evidence based, failed to ensure the decision was properly reached and delayed telling him the outcome of the process. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council managed the process but there was fault in delaying issuing the decision and including some incorrect information in the decision letter. An apology is satisfactory remedy.

Wiltshire Council (22 002 194)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 23-May-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to provide alternative education for her daughter (Y) when she became too anxious to attend school. She also complained it took too long to issue Y with an Education, Health and Care Plan. We found the Council at fault for not providing alternative education for Y. The Council agreed to apologise, make a payment in recognition of the injustice caused to Y and Ms X and arrange training for its officers.

Wiltshire Council (22 011 027)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Jun-2023

Summary: We upheld a complaint about delay in issuing Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan. This caused avoidable distress and a loss of education provision. The Council will apologise and make payments for distress and missed education provision.

Wiltshire Council (23 000 003)

Statement Upheld Other 04-Jul-2023

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to ensure the young person he fosters received suitable education. The Council was at fault for failing to consider Mr X’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. This meant Mr X went to unnecessary time and trouble going through the Council's corporate complaints procedure and complaining to the Ombudsman. The Council has agreed to apologise and complete an investigation under stage two of the statutory procedure. It will also carry out training for relevant staff.

Wiltshire Council (23 001 567)

Statement Upheld Other 07-Sep-2023

Summary: Mrs W complains on behalf of her sister, Miss Z, about the risk she has experienced since moving into a supported living placement last year. We find the Council failed to properly consider and assess both the possible and known risks before placing the residents together. We also find the Council has failed to take action to remove the risk despite agreeing to move the other resident, Mr Y. The Council will remedy the injustice caused by fault with the actions listed at the end of this statement.

Wiltshire Council (23 004 915)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 03-Oct-2023

Summary: The Council’s failure to deliver the remedy it agreed following Mrs X’s complaint that it had not secured all the provision in her child’s Education Health and Care plan was fault. The Council has agreed to apologise, make the agreed remedy, make payments to Mrs X and the child, and act to improve its services.

Wiltshire Council (22 010 476)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 31-Oct-2023

Summary: the Council failed to consult Mrs B on a planning application and there is no evidence it properly considered the impact a development would have on her amenity. That denied Mrs B an opportunity to make representations which might have resulted in changes to the application although it would likely not have resulted in the Council refusing the application. An apology and payment to Mrs B is satisfactory remedy.

Wiltshire Council (22 012 553)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 01-Dec-2023

Summary: We found fault on Mr J’s complaint about the Council’s processing of his neighbour’s planning application. It delayed chasing the Environment Agency for its response and delayed telling the applicant about objections it and Highways raised. It also failed to make and keep a record of its assessment and decision not to take enforcement action. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Wiltshire Council (23 004 319)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Dec-2023

Summary: The Council was at fault for not putting in place adequate provision for a child with special educational needs when they were out of school. The Council was also at fault for delaying in issuing an Education, Health and Care plan following an annual review. As a result, the child did not receive the provision they should have and had to wait longer for an updated Education, Health and Care plan. To remedy the injustice caused the Council agreed to apologise, make a payment for the loss of provision to the child and to consider what measures it can put in place to ensure Education, Health and Care plans are completed within the statutory timeframe.