Northumberland Council has been asked to improve its Children’s Services complaints procedure following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).

The LGO has issued a report into the council after it failed to comply with the recommendations of an earlier decision.

A complaint about the council was brought to the LGO by the mother and aunt of four children, one of whom was being looked after by the council’s children’s services department while the mother was undergoing treatment for a serious illness.

They complained to the council in November 2010 about the support they were provided by the council and brought their initial complaint to the LGO in August 2012.

The LGO closed the original complaint in December 2012, when the council agreed to undertake a Stage 2 investigation under the Children’s Act complaints process.

By March 2014 the council had still not completed the Stage 2 investigation.

The council has agreed to the LGO’s recommendations to undertake a detailed review of its statutory complaints procedure and provide the Ombudsman with evidence of the review and outcomes within three months of the date of the report.

The council will also investigate the complainants' newest complaint through Stage 2 of the statutory complaints procedures within the published timescales. It will pay the women £500 in recognition of their distress and uncertainty and a further £500 for their time and trouble in pursuing their complaints.

Article date: 22 August 2014