Case Ref: 22 002 992 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council agreed to review why unsuitable accommodation was used for so long.
• The Council agreed to review what administration and data errors were made.

Case Ref: 21 015 033 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• provide us with details of the new guidance and procedures for managing temporary accommodation transfers it put in place in Summer/Autumn 2021.

Case Ref: 21 014 334 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will revise its procedures so they explain priorities and what an urgent and non-urgent adaptation is and set out target timescales, taking account of good practice guidance.
• The Council will ensure people who have requested an occupational therapy assessment receive a letter confirming they are on the waiting list and an approximate timeframe for completion of the assessment.

Case Ref: 21 013 007 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review how it considers evidence from applicants and professionalsto ensure all relevant information is considered during the review process forapplications to the housing register.
• The Council has agreed to ensure that it includes signposting to Ombudsman services in its review decision and complaints handling.

Case Ref: 21 012 853 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to review how it manages and monitors the Education Health and Care process to ensure it complies with the statutory timescales.
• The Council agreed to remind relevant staff that they should act on reports, from parents, of children being our of school and missed education to ensure it properly considers its duties to arrange alternative education.
• The Council agreed to review how it records and monitors the advice it requests during Education Health and Care assessments. It should ensure it has adequate processes to make sure it receives the advice it needs before making Education Health and Care plans.

Case Ref: 21 012 032 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council has agreed to put in place an administrative system that will ensure: those making suchenquiries/complaints receive advice on how long it anticipates taking to answertheir enquiries/complaints; and how it will keep in touch if itis unable to keep to such timescales;
• The Council will give advice to officers deciding whether to apply the expanded retail discount on non-domestic rates bills on the appropriateness, relevance and limitations of basing decisions on eligibility through use of measurements of floorspace.only.

Case Ref: 21 011 335 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• establish a mechanism to identify any annual reviews that are outstanding and take prompt action to seek to resolve any such cases. The Council should report back on this, including how it intends to monitor this mechanism;
• send a reminder to relevant staff on the circumstances where children and young people with EHC Plans should be offered an independent advocate;
• circulate a reminder to relevant staff that within four weeks of a review meeting, the Council must notify the child’s parent of its decision to maintain, amend or cease the EHC Plan. When the Council decides to end an EHC plan, it must continue to maintain the EHC plan until the time has passed for bringing an appeal or, when an appeal has been registered, until it has been concluded;
• circulate a reminder to relevant staff members that complaints received by a Council department should be treated as such and be put through the Council’s complaints process
• share this decision with relevant staff members.

Case Ref: 21 005 235 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council was at fault for failures in its special educational needs department which led to delay in making decisions regarding the provision of tuition. The Council says it has carried out a review of the department since then. It has agreed to write to the Ombudsman and to provide evidence of the changes made and to explain how this would prevent a repetition of the errors that led to the finding of fault.

Case Ref: 21 007 518 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council has agreed to, by training or other means, remind staff of the importance of following the statutory appeal process guidance when dealing with school transport assistance. For example, allow parents to make verbal representations to the appeal panel.

Case Ref: 21 001 627 Category: Planning Sub Category: Enforcement

• The Council agreed to implement a service improvement plan targeting case management, communication and the effectiveness of the planning department's enforcement role. Additionally the Council will tell us the anticipated completion date of this improvement plan.