Case Ref: 21 011 791 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council should review why the nursing home was not identified as a Person or Organisation Alleged to have Caused Harm (POACH) and why it was considered appropriate to include staff from the nursing home in a meeting about Mrs Z’s SAR. It should ensure relevant guidance for officers is updated to prevent a recurrence of this.
• The Council should review why the Safeguarding Adults Board did not consider using its powers under Section 45 of the Care Act 2014 to require the nursing home to provide information.

Case Ref: 21 009 726 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Other

• Produce a guidance note or factsheet for residents on their responsibilitiesunder s167, their options around who they can use to complete works subjectto s167, and the procedure for obtaining approval from the Council. Providethis guidance note to any residents who make enquiries about this kind of workgoing forward.

Case Ref: 21 008 347 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its policies to ensure that it considers each child's individual circumstances before deciding how many hours of alternative education is appropriate and records its reasons for deciding a part-time provision amounts to a suitable education for a child.
• The Council will review its processes to ensure it keeps a detailed record of the conversation where a line manager is responding to concerns raised by a service user about the service provided by officers reporting to them.

Case Ref: 21 004 103 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Highway repair and maintenance

• The Council agreed to remind officers of the need to communicate clear and relevant information with those reporting highway repairs/problems and clearly explain reasons for decisions.
• The Council agreed to act to ensure proper records of noise assessments are made with details showing how this was done and assessed.

Case Ref: 20 002 622 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to review how it ensures all suitable complaints are considered under the statutory complaints process.
• The Council has agreed to review how it manages complaints were reasonable adjustments are requested.
• The Council has agreed to provide information and training to staff about how to respond and communicate with complainants where reasonable adjustments are requested.

Case Ref: 21 007 396 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council will remind its officers they must publicise planning applications in accordance with its Statement of Community Involvement.

Case Ref: 21 005 345 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to remind its adult social care staff as to when the Council should not ask a client's family to pay a top up fee, when a care home placement is more expensive than the personal budget it has initially allocated.

Case Ref: 21 002 385 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed it will provide evidence which shows it has completed observations and appropriate actions to ensure staff are professional and courteous at all times, particularly when dealing with sensitive matters.
• The Council has agreed it will review how it communicates with contractors about jobs it asks them to do, to ensure it provides clear and detailed instructions on the work which needs doing.

Case Ref: 21 002 300 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council will inform staff that the Ombudsman expects councils to allow complainants the opportunity to challenge council decisions, irrespective of whether there is a right to appeal. This could be through a formal appeal process or through its complaints process.

Case Ref: 21 002 237 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will provide us with evidence of how it tracks progress on complaints being considered under the statutory children’s complaints procedure to ensure that the statutory deadlines under this are met.