Issue - meetings

The Local Government Ombudsman has made a finding of maladministration in respect of the way the Council managed the provision of assistance in roofing works for a resident. The Monitoring Officer is obliged under section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to report this finding to Cabinet.

RESOLVED:       That Cabinet agree to:

i)             Note the Local Government Ombudsman’s findings and recommendations and to endorse the steps already taken by Officers by way of offering a remedy.

ii)            Take no further action in relation to the matters set out in the report.

iii)          Adopt this report as the Council’s formal response under section 5A of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and section 31 of the Local Government Act 1974 and arrange for it to be sent to every member of the Council and the Ombudsman.

REASON:            i)       To satisfy the legal requirement to consider the report and to confirm the appropriateness of the remedy recommended by the Ombudsman.

ii)       The steps already taken have been accepted by the Ombudsman as representing an appropriate remedy.

                             iii)      To comply with legal requirements.

Consideration was given to the statutory report of the Monitoring Officer in respect of the Local Government Ombudsman’s (LGO) finding of maladministration regarding the way the Council managed the provision of assistance in roofing works for a resident.

The full report of the LGO, attached at Annex 1 to the report, found that the provision of assistance with roofing works to a vulnerable women’s home had been inadequate, wrongly included solid insulation in the schedule of works when the loft was already insulated and allowed the works to be signed off.

The authority was now required to consider the report and, within 3 months, notify the Ombudsman of the action the authority had taken or which it proposed to take. It was confirmed that the Council had agreed to pay compensation of £2000, which the LGO had recommended as an appropriate remedy.

Officers confirmed that the recommendations had been noted and practices reviewed, with staff now being involved in providing technical support for the service.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:       That Cabinet agree to:

i)             Note the Local Government Ombudsman’s findings and recommendations and to endorse the steps already taken by Officers by way of offering a remedy.

ii)            Take no further action in relation to the matters set out in the report.

iii)          Adopt this report as the Council’s formal response under section 5A of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and section 31 of the Local Government Act 1974 and arrange for it to be sent to every member of the Council and the Ombudsman. ^1.

REASON:            i)       To satisfy the legal requirement to consider the report and to confirm the appropriateness of the remedy recommended by the Ombudsman.

ii)       The steps already taken have been accepted by the Ombudsman as representing an appropriate remedy.

                             iii)      To comply with legal requirements.