Worthing Borough Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
50% Complaints upheld by Worthing Borough Council
50% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 59% in similar authorities.
3 upheld decisions
Adjusted for Worthing Borough Council's population, this is
2.7 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
1.4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 6 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Worthing Borough Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 3 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
33% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Worthing Borough Council
In 33% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 15% in similar authorities.
1 satisfactory remedy decision
Statistics are based on a total of 3 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
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.
Public reports ?Find out more about public reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against Worthing Borough Council
No public 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: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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.
Last updated: 4 April 2015