Agenda item

1. Noted the Public Interest Report;

2. Agreed the lessons learned and actions to be taken in response;

3. Requested that the Customer and Community Scrutiny Panel include the public interest report in its planned review of the Council’s complaints procedure against the LGSCO’s best practice guidance and report back with recommendations.

Cabinet received details of the report which set out the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) in relation to the Council’s policies and procedures for determining and awarding disabled facilities grants. 

It was noted that the complaint related to a delay of 12 months in the Council determining the resident’s application for a disabled facilities grant (DFG).  In addition, there was a failure to communicate clearly with the resident and the process for determining DFGs was set out in a policy and procedures which did not appear to have been approved at a member level. 

Following consideration of the complaint, the LGSCO issued a Public Interest Report due to the significant fault and injustice caused to the complainant and a concern that there was a systemic problem with wider learning.  The Council fully accepted the recommendations proposed by the LGSCO, as detailed in the report and measures that were being taken to implement them were outlined. Immediate lessons learned, included:

·  The Monitoring Officer to have oversight of all complaints to the LGSCO;

·  A need for a enhanced reporting of complaints data;

·  A need to ensure all new and amended policies are approved at elected member level;

·  Consideration as to the role of scrutiny in reviewing the effectiveness of the complaints process;

·  A need for a comprehensive performance management dataset to ensure effective management of performance against standards and targets;

·  The need for effective partnership working.

Members accepted that the level of service provided had been inadequate and that it was essential that lessons were learnt and policies and procedures in place to avoid a similar situation in the future.  The Leader of Council apologised on the behalf of the Council to the resident involved and to others who waited longer than they should have for support.

The recommendations were then agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the Public Interest Report be noted;

(b)  That the lessons learned and actions to be taken in response be agreed;

(c)  That the Customer and Community Scrutiny Panel be recommended to include the public interest report in its planned review of the Council’s complaints procedure against the LGSCO’s best practice guidance and report back with recommendations.