Case Ref: 21 014 621 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

• Explain what it will do to promptly identify and refund any additional payments received after an overpayment is cleared.

Case Ref: 19 005 309 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Remind officers who deal with complaints of the importance of adhering to the timescales set out in its complaints procedure.

Case Ref: 19 001 034 Category: Planning Sub Category: Enforcement

• The Council will review the wording on its websiteregarding the public speaking times to ensure this is consistent with thewording in its Constitution.

Case Ref: 18 017 571 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

• Provide evidence that it has reminded officers in its overpayments team of the DWP’s ‘Housing Benefit overpayments guide: Recovery of overpayments’, including that direct earnings attachments should be used as a last resort and it is good practice to send a letter before claim first.
• Consider whether to exercise discretion not to include the gross up of £766 in the deductions for November 2018 as it did for the £1,600 amount. Provide Miss B with detailed reasons for its decision

Case Ref: 18 015 315 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council had no record of the complaint response provided verbally to the complainant. It has agreed to take steps to ensure it provides written complaint responses in future and keeps a record of key discussions with complainants.

Case Ref: 18 005 173 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council agreed to review what happened here and make any necessary changes to procedures or staff training to minimise the chances of the identified faults recurring.