LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council delayed in carrying out transition planning for Miss Y and failed to carry out adequate Care Act assessments. Mrs X also complained the Council delayed in providing a support plan for Miss Y’s which meant she was left without adequate care and support. We found the Council’s failings and delays in the transition process and in completing appropriate assessments and support plans are fault. These faults left Miss Y without appropriate care and support and caused significant uncertainty, distress and upset for Miss Y and her family. The Council will apologis

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s handling of her mother’s care. We find the Council at fault for failing to correctly record Mrs B’s hospital admission as a permanent planned change. This means Mrs B was incorrectly charged for care. The Council has agreed to recalculate Mrs B’s care charges and issue a revised invoice to Mrs B’s estate.

Summary: Miss X complained that the Council refused to provide her with free school meals despite being financially eligible. We have discontinued our investigation because this is a late complaint and there is no good reason to use discretion to investigate.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint about how the Council has dealt with her daughter’s Education Health and Care Plans. Part of the complaint is late. Part of the complaint is about issues that can be appealed to a Tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council not taking appropriate action in relation to a tree damaging his property. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council communicated with him about Miss Y’s care. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Summary: There was fault by the Council because it unnecessarily delayed making arrangements for alternative provision for a child not attending school. This caused frustration, for which the Council has agreed to offer a financial remedy.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about educational provision within her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. This is because it was reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). An investigation into the remainder of Miss X’s complaint would not lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council refused home to school transport for his child, Y. There is insufficient evidence of fault.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council failing to repair a defective manhole cover. There is not enough evidence of fault in the way the Council has assessed the matter, we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant is seeking, and it is reasonable to expect him to pursue a court remedy.

Summary: X complains on behalf of Y that the Council failed to secure special educational provision in Y’s Education, Health, and Care Plan, failed to properly consider input from Y and X, and did not handle his complaints clearly. X said this delayed Y’s educational development and future opportunities and caused significant distress to them both. We find the Council at fault for failing to secure an element of the special educational provision, but the fault did not cause injustice. We do not find the Council at fault for its complaint handling and we cannot investigate how it completed the

Summary: Mr X complains the Council has failed to deal with charges for highways works properly. We found the Council at fault because it did not provide transparency about the invoiced costs. Mr X suffered uncertainty. The Council has already taken actions and agreed an appropriate remedy.

Summary: Miss X complains the Council has not properly assessed her needs. We have not investigated because the Council has offered Miss X a fresh assessment and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to carry out work to maintain a tree. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a safeguarding investigation. There is insufficient evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council asking her to remove trees she planted in a verge. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to place restrictions on how she contacted it. This is because her complaint is made late.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that his property has been damaged due to the Council’s failure to maintain highway drains. This is because it is reasonable for Mr B to pursue his claim at court.

Summary: We will not investigate how the Council dealt with Mr X’s complaint about its administration of a parking penalty charge notice as this does not cause him a level of injustice that would justify our further involvement.

The Council was at fault for failing to ensure the Education Health and Care Plan was reviewed within statutory timescales for Ms X’s grandchild, Y. The Council was also at fault for failing to ensure Y had access to suitable education for over two and a half terms. The Council agreed to apologise to Ms X and pay her £400 to recognise the injustice caused.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about drainage and highway maintenance because it is reasonable to expect Mrs Y to go to court about the matter, which is better placed to consider the complaint.

Summary: We have discontinued our investigations into Miss X’s complaints about a lack of education offered to her son, and about how she and her son were treated by the Council’s children’s social care service. The Council has already accepted fault for her son’s lack of education and has offered a suitable remedy. And there has already been an independent investigation into her social care complaint. It is unlikely further investigation of either issue would lead to different outcomes for her.

Summary: We have discontinued our investigations into Miss X’s complaints about a lack of education offered to her son, and about how she and her son were treated by the Council’s children’s social care service. The Council has already accepted fault for her son’s lack of education and has offered a suitable remedy. And there has already been an independent investigation into her social care complaint. It is unlikely further investigation of either issue would lead to different outcomes for her.

Summary: We have discontinued our investigation. The Council has now agreed to consider Mr X’s concerns under the statutory complaints procedure and will issue a response in line with its data protection obligations. We are satisfied the Council’s proposed action is an appropriate way forward, and further investigation by the Ombudsman is not warranted at this stage.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about highway maintenance. This is because the Courts are better placed to consider the complaint.