LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Ms A complained about several organisations involved in her father, Mr D’s care, when his physical health and behaviour deteriorated towards the end of his life. Mr D had dementia. Ms A said failings in Mr D’s care meant his family were distressed by his deterioration. We found fault with a Council. and it agreed to take action to improve. We also found fault with an Ambulance Trust, but it has taken appropriate action to address this fault. We did not find fault with the other organisations.

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to answer her concerns about its decisions concerning her children. This is because the issues Miss X raises are not separable from matters already considered before the family court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the level of care provided by Mr X’s parent’s care provider, and of poor complaint handling. This is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. In addition, we are unlikely to find fault with the Council’s complaint handling.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of matters relating to Mr X’s neighbour’s wood burning stove. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council sufficient to warrant an investigation.

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council has not provided psychotherapy specified in her son, Y’s, Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Mrs X also complained about the delays she experienced and poor communication from the Council. Mrs X says this has caused her distress and she has been put to time and trouble to complain and Y has missed out on psychotherapy. The Council failed to ensure the provision specified in Y’s plan was delivered, did not adhere to statutory timescales and delayed responding to Mrs X’s complaint. It has agreed to provide remedies for the injustice these failings cause

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s consideration of planning applications close to the complainant’s former home. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The events complained of occurred more than 12 months ago and the complaint is therefore too late.

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the Council’s restrictions on work which Mrs X is permitted to carry out on protected trees on her land. It was reasonable for her to appeal against the Council’s decision to the Secretary of State who is represented by the Planning Inspectorate.

Summary: Mr Y complains about the Council’s delay in providing the support his family needed when the Council received a referral about his daughter’s emotional wellbeing and self-harming behaviours. The Council apologised and accepted it could have acted sooner to provide support for the family. In addition to the apology and service improvements already proposed, the Council will pay £300 to Mr Y in recognition of the distress caused by fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision that the complainant does not qualify for the council tax single person discount. This is because the complainant can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council has considered Mr X’s complaint about a Parish Council and Councillor. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault in how the Council reached a decision on the complaint. Mr X has also not been caused an injustice as a result of the Council’s actions relating to the time taken to consider the complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of council officers. This is because the complainant has not been caused significant enough injustice because of the Council’s actions to justify our involvement.

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision not to take planning enforcement action in relation to a building in their neighbour’s garden, which they say affects their amenities. We ended our investigation as we are unlikely to be able to show that any potential fault made a difference to the Council’s decision.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council considered Mr X’s housing benefit claim. Mr X has already appealed to a tribunal, and we have no jurisdiction to investigate.

Summary: Mr and Mrs B complain about the Council’s consideration of a planning application for an extension to their neighbour's property. They say they suffer from a loss of light and outlook and the building work has encroached on their property and caused damage. We have found no fault in the Council’s consideration of the application and the remaining issues are civil matters between neighbours.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a planning application for a waste storage compound. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence that fault by the Council has affected the outcome of the planning application.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to put up a boundary fence at a Council-owned property. This is because we cannot investigate complaints about the management of social housing by councils.

said the care agency organised by the Council did not follow her care plan. She complained the agency sent male care workers to provide domiciliary care when her care plan stated she wanted females. The Council was at fault for failing to record Mrs C’s carer preferences and its delay sourcing a new care provider.

Miss X and Mrs Y complained the Council: stopped them from seeing, Mr P, who Miss X considers to be her step-father, when he was in hospital and in a care home. They say the Council has not explained why they were not allowed to visit Mr P; stopped them from giving Mr P his personal belongings; and took safeguarding action against them but did not tell them what it was for at the time. Miss X and Mrs Y say the Council’s actions have caused them distress and frustration because they were only allowed to see Mr P for a short time before he died.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled Mrs Y’s move into residential care. It is unlikely that our involvement would lead to a different outcome.