LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about where the Council placed Ms X’s grandchild. The matter is not separable about ongoing court action concerning the child.

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s failure to manage her daughter’s EHCP and provide the support she was entitled to. We have found the Council was at fault because it took too long to issue an amended EHCP and as a result did not increase the personal budget when it should have done. These faults caused distress and uncertainty and loss of additional support. To remedy this injustice, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Mrs X. We have not found fault in other matters complained about. We were unable to investigate Mrs X’s complaint about her daughter’s educati

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council has wasted public money by making changes to streetlights across the county. This is because the issue affects all or most people in the Council’s area.

We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to fulfil a pre-booked journey on its on-demand bus service. This is because there is insufficient injustice caused by the Council’s actions to warrant our intervention.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to take action following safeguarding referrals.

Summary: The complainant says a care home, acting on behalf of the Council, failed to properly support her husband. The care home failed to follow a care plan, act after it found unexplained bruising, and properly record best interest decisions. The Council has agreed to apologise to the complainant, pay her £350 and through contract monitoring ensure staff are reminded/trained about the importance of recording and following care plans.

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to inform her of the change in charges to respite care for her husband. She had paid the flat rate to the care home directly but later received a bill for double the amount. Mrs X complained to the Council but there was a delay in their response. We find fault with the Council for delay and miscommunication. This fault has caused Mrs X distress and frustration and we recommend a payment in remedy.

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her son with appropriate social care support from March 2021, and failed to complete appropriate assessments of his needs. The Council was at fault as it failed to investigate Mrs X’s complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council will arrange and start a stage 2 investigation under these procedures within one month of this decision. It will also make a symbolic payment for the uncertainty and time and trouble this caused Mrs X.

Summary: The investigation into this complaint is discontinued. The Council acknowledged fault in the way it dealt with requests for social care support for Mr Y and apologised. Any further investigation by this office could not achieve more.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Councils decision to charge the complainants son for a contribution towards the cost of his care. This is because there is insufficient fault in how the Council carried out its assessment.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about poor road maintenance. This is because it is late with no good reasons to use discretion to investigate it now.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about highway maintenance. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about how the Council managed contact with her. There is not enough evidence this issue alone would amount to fault and we cannot consider the substantive issue it relates to, which is her contact with her sister.

Summary: Mr B complained the Council had changed the arrangements at waste disposal sites which meant he could no longer access them as his vehicle was too tall. He said this meant he could not correctly dispose of various items of household waste which cannot be placed for kerbside collection. There was no fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s treatment of Ms X. The matters complained of are not separable from the opinions of her formed by a social worker and given in court, which we cannot investigate. Investigation by us would not lead to a worthwhile outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs B’s complaint that her car was damaged due to the Council’s failure to maintain an uneven road. This is because it is reasonable for Mrs B to put in a compensation claim to the Council, and if needed pursue the claim at court.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to settle a claim because it would be reasonable for the complainant to pursue the substantive matter in court.

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to properly consider safeguarding referrals about her grandson, deal with her concerns about neglect and poor practice by staff. Mrs X also complains about lack of provision. We have found the Council failed to follow its procedure when considering two safeguarding referrals and fault with regards to benefit claims. We have found no fault with the Council’s handling of Mrs X’s other issues of complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a financial payment for the distress and uncertainty caused to Mrs X and her grandson.

Summary: Miss X complains her father’s care home failed to take appropriate action when he fell ill. The Council has accepted care records from time were inadequate. It has agreed to write to the family to apologise and pay £1000 to acknowledge the distress and time and trouble they have been caused by this. There is nothing further we could achieve from an investigation and so we will not investigate this complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a children services officer not supervising Mr X’s contact with his child. There are ongoing related Court proceedings within which it is reasonable to expect Mr X to raise this. Also, he has not been caused any injustice by the lack of supervision.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of Miss X’s child’s special educational needs. The matters complained of are not separable from the content of the child’s Education Health and Care Plan, as appealed to a Tribunal.

Summary: Ms X complains the Council was at fault as it did not communicate her mother, Mrs Y would be required to contribute towards a domiciliary care service. The Council has accepted it was at fault. It has apologised and offered to withdraw the invoice for the charges incurred. This is a suitable remedy in this case, so we have completed our investigation.