LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Ms X complained the Council delayed taking action to ensure her neighbour’s property was safe. We find the Council at fault for failing to communicate with Ms X about these delays. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and make a payment to acknowledge the uncertainty this caused.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about targeted attacks on the complainants in relation to their council tax. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault causing injustice.

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to support her properly after she asked for help in December 2023, and was only just setting up her direct payments when she contacted us in March 2024. The Council took far too long to set up Ms X’s direct payments. It needs to apologise and pay financial redress. It also needs to improve its working practices.

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to secure suitable alternative education provision for her child, Y, for around 12 months. We have found the Council at fault for failing to consider its section 19 duty at the correct time and for failing to secure suitable education provision. We have also found the Council at fault for its communication and complaint handling. We have made recommendations to remedy the injustice this caused. We have found the Council at fault for procedural delays when completing an annual review of Y’s EHC Plan. However, this fault did not cause an injustice. W

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about charges for an adult social care package. This is a late complaint. Even if it were not late, we would not investigate. The complainant accepted the care knowing they might have to pay for it. The Council apologised for its delay and offered a repayment plan for the debt. There is no significant injustice to justify an investigation. It is unlikely the Ombudsman would add to the Council’s investigation or reach a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care Plan process for the complainant’s child. This is because it was reasonable for Miss X to use her right of appeal. Given the availability of an early review an investigation by the Ombudsman would be unlikely to achieve a worthwhile outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council assessed Mr X’s need for home adaptations. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement. The law says we cannot investigate his complaints about the Housing Association has maintained the property.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council dealt with reports of anti-social behaviour. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s actions to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about his child’s education as it is outside our jurisdiction. Mr X has appealed to a tribunal, and we cannot consider complaints about schools.

Summary:We have upheld this complaint because the Council delayed considering a complaint at stage two of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has now agreed to resolve the complaint by issuing its stage two response without further delay. It will also apologise and offer to make a payment to the complainant to remedy the time and trouble they have been too.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council failed to prosecute a private landlord or stop an alleged illegal eviction. This is because the matters have been considered in court and because the complaint is late.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged failings by the Council with respect to the provision of child social support, its formal assessments, or compliance with data protection legislation. This is because the complainant’s complaint has yet to complete all three stages of the statutory children’s complaints procedure. Further, he could reasonably complain to the Information Commissioner about issues of non-compliance with data protection legislation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care Plan process for the complainant’s child. This is because it was reasonable for Mrs X to use her appeal rights. We will not look at complaint handling as a standalone issue.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council sending letters about council tax liability to an empty property owned by Mr X. There is insufficient evidence of any significant injustice caused by fault.

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council has dealt with Mrs X’s grandchildren since they have been placed in care. We could not add to the Council’s response or make a different finding of the kind Mrs X wants.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to adopt the road outside his property. The courts are better placed to consider this complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a prior approval application. This is because we are unlikely to find fault.

Summary: There was no fault by the Council, in its handling of referrals it received about child safeguarding issues. We have therefore completed our investigation.

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s delay completing her child, Y’s Education, Health and Care needs assessment. We find fault, causing injustice to Y and avoidable distress and uncertainty to Miss X. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Miss X.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to offer Mr X a new kiosk to run his business from following redevelopment of a market. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council sufficient to warrant investigation.

Summary: we have discontinued our investigation to allow the Council to complete its complaints process.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about communication and speech and language therapy payments for Miss X’s child. It now seems likely the Council resolved these matters before Miss X approached us. Further investigation by us would be unlikely to lead to a different or better outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a Council’s school admissions appeal panel’s decision as it is unlikely we would find fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of a social worker in relation to the care of the complainant’s child. This is because the complaint is not separable from matters which were, or could have been, considered in court.