Case Ref: 20 013 228 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council agreed to consider what additional action it might need to take to avoid future delays with the processing of housing applications.
• The Council agreed to consider whether it needs to include a reference to how it assesses studios when it next reviews and amends its housing allocation scheme.
• The Council agreed to ensure officers are reminded of the need to consider and show, where appropriate, whether an applicant’s accommodation and circumstances meet the statutory overcrowding standards.
• The Council agreed to remind officers of the need to consider whether an applicant’s circumstances and accommodation justifies the taking of a homeless application.

Case Ref: 20 008 889 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to review its policy and staff guidance, about the day from which it should start to fund a person's eligible needs, to ensure it is in line with the findings of this case.
• The Council will share the lessons learned around Ordinary Residence and the day from which the Council should start to fund a client's eligible needs, with its adult social care and finance teams.

Case Ref: 20 008 708 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• Issue relevant staff with guidance about the corporate complaint procedure and emphasise the importance of meeting the timescales in the procedure.
• Finalise its enforcement policy and make it publicly available on its website.

Case Ref: 20 007 912 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind officers arranging education other than at school that any decision to offer less than full-time hours should be recorded and regularly reviewed.
• The Council will remind officers of the need to ensure key decisions and actions are recorded for each child with an EHC plan or accessing education other than at school.
• The Council will review all children with an EHC plan educated other than at school to ensure they are receiving the provision in their plan.

Case Ref: 20 007 703 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to explain what action it has taken to ensure there is no unnecessary delay in allocating social workers to carry out needs' assessments.

Case Ref: 20 005 156 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will produce a template deprivation of assets letter which reminds staff they must set out their rationale for deciding a person has deprived themselves of an asset.
• The Council will remind staff they must consider whether a person needs but is not receiving care when deciding if they are an adult who needs care for the purpose of a property disregard.
• The Council will remind staff deprivation of assets and property disregards are separate matters and they must consider a discretionary disregard on its own merits and should record their decision reasons.
• The Council will update its policy on property disregards to reflect what is mandatory and what is discretionary as set out in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance or explain why it has departed from the guidance.
• The Council will review any complaints about its decisions on deprivation of assets or property disregards from January 2020 to the date it updates its policy on property disregards. If the Council identifies flaws in its decision making, it should reconsider those decisions and write to the complainants. Where the Council changes its decision and finds it charged somebody more for their care than it should have, it will reimburse the person the relevant amount.

Case Ref: 20 004 916 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will review its policies on kinship and private placements to ensure they are in line with the Government's guidance on family and friends care

Case Ref: 20 002 422 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Noise

• The Council has agreed to review how it communicates with complainants to ensure it records and responds to each noise nuisance complaint on an individual basis
• The Council has agreed to review its noise nuisance policy to make sure any cross-border issues do not drift and staff are clear on who is responsible for what actions when other organisations or councils are involved.
• The Council has agreed to share this decision with relevant members of staff.

Case Ref: 19 015 949 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• the Council has agreed to review its Nightly Let policy to ensure there is a clear system in place on the steps Council officers should follow when checking necessary works are properly done when reported and deciding to take action against managing agents if works are not completed to their satisfaction. The policy should clearly specify that the Council is responsible for ensuring temporary accommodation is suitable under the Housing Act 1996.
• the Council has also agreed share a copy of this decision with relevant staff members, including those at Ms Y’s managing agent.