LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s management of a child protection matter involving his children. We did not investigate parts of the complaint because they are late and there are no good reasons to consider them now. In respect of the complaints we have considered, we found no fault on the Council’s part.

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about her two children being placed in her mother’s care following court proceedings in 2012 because it lies outside our jurisdiction. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about matters that have been considered in court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council assessing Mrs X’s mother to be a self-funder from the date probate was granted. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of social workers. A parenting assessment is not a matter that is separable from the court proceedings for which it was prepared. Most of the matters complained of also pre-date the end of court proceedings by some time, they are late, and they could reasonably have been raised in court. The remaining matters since the court action concluded are not ones where our further involvement would be likely to find sufficient fault or injustice to Mr X to warrant investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of traffic in Mr X’s locale on home football match days. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council sufficient to warrant investigation.

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint as we cannot investigate Court ordered reports or events the Court has considered.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s commissioning arrangements for care. That is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify investigating. The Council has already apologised to Mr X for not telling him his Care Provider were stopping its services. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about bias by the Council when Mr B raised concerns about his mother’s adult social care. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Summary: We uphold Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to consider his complaint within its children statutory complaints’ procedure. The Council has agreed to do so without further delay.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council not telling Mr X about a decision to take his children into care. The matter complained of is not separable from court proceedings.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about alleged negligence by the Council causing personal injury to members of his family. This is because it would be reasonable for Mr X to take the matter to court.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about an educational psychologist’s review of an Educational Health and Care Plan case. The need for reviews is included in a tribunal appeal.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that his vehicle was written off due to the Council’s failure to display sufficient signage for a traffic calming measure. This is because it is reasonable for Mr B to pursue his compensation claim by taking the Council to court.

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained the Council failed to carry out the recommendations made at Stage 2 and 3 of the statutory complaints process. The Council has provided information about the action it has taken as well as now arranging a meeting as agreed. These actions, along with a symbolic payment for the frustration caused, are a suitable remedy.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council not paying an outstanding sum. There is not enough injustice to warrant investigation, and Mr X could pursue a claim with the small claims court.

Summary: We have discontinued the investigation into Mrs B’s debt to the Council as nothing can be achieved by further investigation of this complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council completed safeguarding enquiries. That is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an unsuccessful appeal for a school place. This is because the Council has now offered the complainant a fresh appeal and it is unlikely further investigation would achieve anything more.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about damage caused to the complainant’s car by a pothole on the public highway. This is because it is reasonable for the complainant to take his claim for financial loss to the courts.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about charges for residential care. 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 of fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint about child protection action by the Council. There is not enough evidence of injustice caused by fault to warrant investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s advice to a local planning authority on highway matters. There is insufficient evidence of any fault or personal injustice to Mr X which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: Ms C complained about the Council’s decision that her brother does not have eligible needs, which has resulted in a decision he is no longer eligible to live in supported living accommodation. We did not find fault with the way in which the Council made its decision.

Summary: Mr and Mrs X and Mrs Y complained about the Council’s decisions about Mrs B’s care and how it considered their views. They also said it wrongly investigated safeguarding concerns about them. We found no fault in how the Council reached its decisions about Mrs B’s capacity and care, nor how it investigated the safeguarding concerns. Without fault in the process, we cannot criticise the merits of the decisions the Council made.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about maintenance of a soil bank. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault and not significant enough injustice to justify investigating.