LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notices because we are satisfied with the actions the Council has taken.

Summary: We will have upheld Mr X’s complaint about an affordable rent incentive. The Council have agreed to resolve the complaint by offering a suitable remedy.

Summary: We upheld a complaint made by Ms J, about the education provision made for her son, Mr K, who had an Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council failed to respond to her concerns over several months including after she complained. We found this caused injustice to both Ms J and Mr K as distress. We also found Mr K lost some education provision. The Council accepted our findings. At the end of this statement, we set out what action it agreed to take to remedy Mr K’s and Ms J’s injustice and improve its service to prevent a repeat of the fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Ms X’s council tax. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons for this. There is not enough evidence of fault to warrant investigation into more recent matters.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about how the Council managed her planning application for a dropped kerb request on her property. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why Miss X did not complain sooner.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to consider medical evidence when assessing the suitability of Miss X’s temporary accommodation. This is because the Council has agreed to a suitable remedy.

Summary: Ms D says the Council delayed responding to her complaint and incorrectly removed her from the housing register. I have not found fault in the decision to remove Ms D from the housing register but there have been delays by the Council. It has accepted there is fault and offered to pay Ms D redress.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council informed Miss X of her outstanding council tax balance. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about road signage the Council has installed. This is because the matter complained about has not caused Ms X any significant personal injustice which is serious enough to warrant an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a lack of suitable properties to bid for because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.

Summary: The Council was at fault for poor communication and a failure to properly review Mr X’s care needs after his reablement package ended. It was also at fault for the significant delay in responding to his complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X and make a payment to acknowledge the frustration, uncertainty and distress he was caused. It should also offer to reassess his care needs.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to investigate her company’s complaint in relation to concerns it had with the Council whilst providing it a contractual service. This is because it would be reasonable for Mrs X to take the matter to the courts and there is no meaningful outcome we could achieve.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability because there was a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of her child’s needs. The Council has considered her complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. An investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of her housing register priority. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We have found no fault with how the Council handled Mr X’s report that his neighbour had breached planning control. The Council acted in line with national and local planning enforcement policy.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council could not trace his Council Tax payment. This is because it is unlikely we could add to the Council’s previous investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s offer of temporary accommodation which Miss X says was unsuitable. It was reasonable for Miss X to challenge the decision by way of a review and further appeal to the County Court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions relating to an Education, Health, and Care Plan. Parts of the complaint are late, and other parts had an alternative legal remedy. Nor will we investigate the delays in completing an annual review, because the Council has agreed to a suitable remedy for Miss X’s injustice. There are no wider public interest issues to justify investigating this complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Miss X’s housing register account because it is late. And we will not investigate the Council’s withdrawal of its remedy offer because any injustice is not significant enough.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council withdrew his resident parking permit, telling him his property did not qualify for resident parking. Mr X says he has not received a refund for the permit and has nowhere to park near his home. The Council is at fault for providing misleading information, this has caused Mr X uncertainty. I have recommended the Council pays Mr X £300 for the distress caused and apologises for not explaining the reasons behind its decision.

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a coroner because the Council is not responsible for the actions of coroners and their officers who carry out coroners' functions, and we cannot investigate the actions of other bodies. We will not investigate the Council’s complaint handling because it is not a good use of public resources.

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council had failed to take action to enforce a section 215 notice regarding the external condition of the property he lives in. We found the Council delayed in reaching a decision not to take enforcement action. This caused Mr B uncertainty and distress. The Council has agreed to apologise to him and make a symbolic payment of £150.

Summary: Miss X complained about how the Council responded to her homelessness. She said the Council failed to address the risk to her and her children and placed her in unsuitable accommodation. Miss X also complained the Council placed her in the wrong housing band. The Council was at fault for failing to deal properly with Miss X’s homelessness. It should apologise to Miss X, make a symbolic payment to her, and provide information to its staff.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s offer of unsuitable temporary accommodation. It was reasonable for Ms X to use the review/appeal procedure available under the homelessness legislation.