Case Ref: 23 000 441 Category: Housing Sub Category: Private housing

• The Council has agreed that it will issue a reminder to relevant officers to keep appropriate records of telephone conversations.
• The Council has also agreed that it will issue a reminder to relevant officers about which cases should be referred to the Housing Ombudsman Service and which should be referred to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Case Ref: 22 015 384 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will review how it can improve information sharing between its Housing and Temporary Accommodation Team to ensure changes in Notice to Quit processes are communicated without delay to applicants.
• The Council will remind officers to adhere to timescales agreed with applicants to respond, take actions, or seek approvals from managers to avoid unnecessary uncertainty or heightened expectations.

Case Ref: 22 014 730 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will remind staff of deadlines for responding to review requests, and fully note and demonstrate how decisions are reached when considering advice from medical advisors, for example the weight given to the advice, and what other considerations were taken into account.

Case Ref: 22 008 400 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will ensure notes are kept from the fortnightly bed-and-breakfast meetings.
• The Council will send a reminder to officers dealing with homeless families in bed-and-breakfast accommodation to ensure they are aware that:efforts should be made to move families out of bed-and-breakfast accommodation and it should not be left until the end of the six week period before attempts are made to source alternative accommodation; andfor families in bed-and-breakfast accommodation that have received an offer of a housing association property officers should liaise with the housing association to ensure moves are prioritised so families do not remain in bed-and-breakfast accommodation for longer than six weeks when they have accepted an offer of a housing association property.

Case Ref: 22 013 646 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council was at fault for the way it considered an appeal about school transport assistance. The Council will remind officers of the importance of conducting appeals in accordance with its published policy.

Case Ref: 21 018 085 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

• The Council has agreed to check that no other tenant has been affected in this way by the restructure in 2021.

Case Ref: 21 016 388 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council agreed to remind relevant staff of the Council’s obligations to escalate complaints to stages 2 and 3 of the statutory children's complaints procedures, if that is the complainant’s wishes.

Case Ref: 21 005 104 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Council tax

• Make amendments to its decision template letter to ensure applicants are signposted to the ValuationTribunal Service and informed of their right of appeal.

Case Ref: 20 014 214 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• Ensure that complaints are not dismissed without proper consideration.

Case Ref: 20 013 749 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will remind staff they should consider the affordability of someone's temporary accommodation, and whether they are eligible for a discretionary housing payments at an early stage, before they accrue considerable rent arrears.
• The Council will remind staff they must act promptly when they receive a change of circumstances notification for a housing application.