LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs B’s complaint that she suffered injuries due to the Council’s failure to maintain a pavement. This is because it is reasonable for Mrs B to take the Council to court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions when it recovered Miss X’s deceased pet. It is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s actions.

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to provide alternative education when her child was unable to attend school for medical reasons. We find fault causing a loss of education and avoidable distress and frustration. The Council had already made a symbolic payment to Mrs X for the injustice and had introduced some service improvements. We recommended further improvements to the Council’s school attendance policy which it has accepted. We have therefore completed our investigation and are closing the complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about an unsuccessful appeal for a school place. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the panel for us to be able to question its decision.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about highway maintenance because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating and the courts are better placed to consider the complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response after the complainant reported he is facing eviction. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a burial in the baby section of a cemetery. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault and injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of planning enforcement and statutory nuisance issues related to the operation of a nursery school. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the way the Council has responded to the matters raised.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council treated him differently to his neighbour when dealing with his noise and antisocial behaviour complaint. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s decision-making process to justify our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to carry out maintenance work on private land next to Mrs X’s home. there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: Ms X complains the Council has failed to consider her complaints concerning the safeguarding of a child. We will not investigate. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We cannot investigate any matters in connection with court proceedings or matters that are currently being considered by the Council. And we will not investigate the remaining aspect of the complaint about the previous social worker’s behaviour as we are unlikely to find evidence of a significant injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about graveyard maintenance issues. This is because it is unlikely an investigation by this office could add significantly to the responses already provided by the Council via its own previous investigation of the matter. Also, we cannot make a ruling on whether the Council is liable for the damage to items at the grave.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to prune or remove trees on woodland close to Mrs X’s home. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault.

Summary: We cannot not investigate this complaint about the actions of social workers. This is because the actions and opinions of social workers, and what they wrote, are closely related to the conduct of court proceedings about access to Mr X’s child. They either were or could reasonably have been raised in court. Legal costs are also a matter for a court to determine.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in relation to contact with and the welfare of the complainant’s daughter. This is because our intervention would not add to the investigation which has already been carried out, or lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s request for information. The Information Commissioner’s Office is the appropriate body to consider his complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council refuse lorries driving along a one-way street in the wrong direction. The case does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence of significant personal injustice from the matter complained about and we could not add anything to the Council’s response.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider her complaint whilst her case is subject to ongoing court proceedings.

Summary: We uphold Mrs Y’s complaint about her grandmother’s care. We found fault with Mrs X’s continence care and some aspects of her end of life care. We also found fault with the Care Home’s record keeping and the Council’s communication. As a result, Mrs X did not always receive the care she needed. Mrs Y and her mother were also caused frustration and uncertainty. We recommend the Council and the Care Home apologise to Mrs Y and her mother and make improvements to processes.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement in Mr X’s child’s case. The complaint is about matters that have been considered in court, which the law prevents us from considering. It is reasonable for Mr X to raise all elements of his complaint as part of the ongoing proceedings.

Summary: Mr X complained about a partially built residential development on land next to his home, which has been left by a developer for several years. He said the Council failed to take adequate enforcement action and failed to properly consider its available powers. We found procedural and case handling faults when the Council took formal enforcement action. However, this did not cause Mr X significant injustice. The Council did secure an improvement in the condition of the land, and there was no fault in the Council’s decision to withdraw court proceedings and stop formal action.

Summary: Miss E and Ms F complained how the Council communicated with them as professionals supporting looked after children. They also complained the Council maliciously reported their nursery to Ofsted. We find the Council was at fault as it failed to communicate with Miss E and Ms F properly. It also failed to be open and transparent with them about a referral to Ofsted. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to grant planning permission for his neighbour’s extension in 2020. His complaint is late, and we have not seen any good reasons to exercise discretion on this point. Also, we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant is seeking.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council sent council tax bills and correspondence to an incorrect address and wrongly obtained a liability order against him. The Council’s errors in updating Mr X’s contact details and in sending bills and court summons to an unrelated address and obtaining a liability order are fault. As is the Council’s failure to issue new bills to Mr X’s home address in November 2023 and to instead issue a further summons. These faults have caused Mr X an injustice.

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s actions when she wanted to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant for her parents, Mr and Mrs Y. She also complained that the Council took too long to make payments when it had agreed to fund construction works. We found fault because the Council gave Miss X incorrect advice and closed Mrs Y’s case when it should not have done. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and Mrs Y, make payments to them and review some of its policies and procedures.