Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
62% Complaints upheld by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
62% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 79% in similar authorities.
8 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's population, this is
4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.6 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 13 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 5 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
13% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
In 13% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 13% in similar authorities.
1 satisfactory remedy decision
Statistics are based on a total of 8 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
A Stockton-on-Tees mother had to take her young adult son to and from college for three academic years, because the council failed to recognise its duty to arrange free transport, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 24 007 782
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Noise
- The Council will provide training for the Environmental Health and Building Control teams to ensure all officers understand the importance of communicating the outcomes of their reports and/or visits with residents, and to ensure that all decisions made are properly recorded.
- The Council will issue a reminder to all officers handling complaints about the importance of informing complainants that they can escalate their concerns to the Ombudsman if they are not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint.
Case reference: 23 015 502
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council has agreed to carry out staff training with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities staff around the Council’s duties when accepting transferred Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans from another council area and about its consideration of funding for parents who Electively Home Educate children with EHC Plans.
Case reference: 22 016 474
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour
- The Council has agreed create a guidance note for staff about how to deal with high hedge applications.
Case reference: 23 013 736
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Residential care
- Ensure that care staff, including agency staff, are reminded to keep up to date contemporaneous records.
Case reference: 23 000 768
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Ensure staff are aware of the Councils statutory obligation and those of the school as detailed in the Education Act 1996 to ensure a child receives a suitable education if they are unable to attend school.
- Review its policies and procedures to ensure the Council retains oversight and responsibility for its duties to children unable to attend school.
Case reference: 21 018 703
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Safeguarding
- Within three months of my final decision statement, the Council will ensure the care agency has:• Reviewed its policies and procedures in relation to meeting nutritional needs. This should include ensuring policies are clear about properly supporting people with their meals, adequately monitoring food intake and consistently preparing meals in line with care plans when required.• Reviewed their policies and procedures in relation to record keeping. This should include ensuring that staff properly record actions taken to meet a person’s care plan, or clearly recording any rationale for not completing an action i.e. not preparing a meal. • Ensured that this information has been shared with staff• The Council will write to the Ombudsmen, with supporting evidence, to confirm these steps have been completed.
- Within three months the Council will write to the Ombudsmen to confirm that the care agency has:• Reviewed their policies and procedures to ensure that there is a robust protocol in place for the administration and recording of medication along with a clear route for escalating any concerns.
Case reference: 22 007 223
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the statutory timescales when it receives a request for an EHC needs assessment.
Case reference: 21 015 931
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Residential care
- The Council will provide us with evidence that The Maple Care Home has delivered training to staff in relation to robust record keeping and that it has implemented a new system which has improved record keeping at the Care Home.
Case reference: 21 009 551
Category: Children's care services
Sub Category: Other
- Remind staff to adhere to the Council’s customer feedback and complaints policy, with particular regard to the timescales and progression of a complaint.
Case reference: 21 002 625
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Cemeteries and crematoria
- The Council agreed to remind relevant staff to provide full information about graves to members of the public to ensure they can make an informed decision about the type of grave they are purchasing, and not to assume they will consult a funeral director.
- The Council agreed to amend its literature about a cemetery in its area to make it clear what grave plots will look like including position, spacing and covering. The Council will provide copies of the amended literature to local funeral directors.
Last updated: 4 April 2015