Brighton & Hove City Council (22 010 676)

Statement Upheld Parking and other penalties 10-Apr-2023

Summary: Mr B says the Council failed to tell him about court proceedings or give him an opportunity to pay a fine before referring the matter to bailiffs and should not have instructed bailiffs when it knew he was vulnerable. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council managed the case before it referred the matter to bailiffs on the first occasion. There is no evidence the Council properly considered Mr B’s vulnerability before referring the case to bailiffs on the second occasion. The Council’s offer to reinstate the original £30 penalty charge is satisfactory remedy, alongside developing a procedure for dealing with vulnerable debtors.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 007 243)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 11-Apr-2023

Summary: Ms X complained about delay by the Council in issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan for her daughter. Ms X says because of this she has been asked to pay for her daughter’s school fees. We have found the Council at fault for the delay for which it has apologised. We have also found fault with the Council’s complaint handling for which the Council had agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment for the injustice caused. We have found no other fault in the substantive issues Ms X complained about.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 016 346)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Apr-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in the Council accepting the transfer of Ms X’s child’s Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, about delay in issuing a final EHC plan, and of the Council failing to provide the provisions within the EHC plan. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Ms X. We will not investigate Ms X’s other complaints because there is insufficient evidence of fault and significant injustice.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 009 347)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 04-Jun-2023

Summary: We have found the Council at fault for not considering alternative provision when it was made aware that Miss X’s son was not attending school. This left a vulnerable child out of education for a 4 month period.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 015 508)

Statement Upheld Leisure and culture 19-Jun-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council banned her from her local library causing distress. We found fault in the Council’s decision making causing distress and uncertainty. We recommended it apologises to Ms X, pays her £300 for distress, reviews its decisions and acts to prevent recurrence.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 012 046)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Jun-2023

Summary: Ms M complains the Council has not secured a 38-week residential special school place for her son, B, as ordered by the Tribunal in June 2022. The Council has failed to do so despite a nationwide search and B remains without a school place. This is fault. The Council should continue its search and continue to make support available until it finds a place or amends B’s Plan.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 004 864)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Jun-2023

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of her child’s Education, Health and Care plan. She complains the Council delayed issuing the final plan and did not provide suitable alternative education while her child was out of school from August 2021 to September 2022. Ms X also complained the Council incurred delays in its consideration of her complaint. We found some fault by the Council and the Council has agreed to provide a remedy to address the injustice caused.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 005 087)

Statement Upheld Allocations 16-Jul-2023

Summary: Miss C complained the Council failed to provide adequate support about her housing situation which meant she stayed with relatives in unsuitable conditions for longer than necessary. We have found fault by the Council but consider the agreed action of a symbolic payment to recognise Miss C’s uncertainty and distress about the opportunity of being offered suitable accommodation sooner and future service improvements provides a suitable remedy.

Brighton & Hove City Council (22 017 779)

Statement Upheld Safeguarding 16-Oct-2023

Summary: Mr X complained the Council did not properly investigate safeguarding concerns he raised about NHS healthcare he received in 2021 and 2022. There was fault in how the Council considered Mr X’s safeguarding concerns, which caused him avoidable distress. The Council agreed to apologise, properly investigate the concerns, and pay Mr X a financial remedy. It will also review relevant administrative processes and share learning points from our decision with its adult safeguarding staff.

Brighton & Hove City Council (23 004 544)

Statement Upheld School transport 04-Dec-2023

Summary: Miss X complained about the outcome of a home to school transport appeal for her son, F. The Council was at fault. It accepted it failed to record the panel’s deliberations and show how the panel arrived at its decision to refuse F school transport. It also failed to provide sufficient detail in its decision letter. This caused Miss X and F distress and uncertainty. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss X and hold a fresh stage 2 appeal panel. If it decides to award F with school transport It will also consider whether to make payments to Miss X and F to recognise the injustice caused by its earlier decision.