Issue - meetings

The Local Government Ombudsman has made a finding of maladministration in respect of the way the Council managed the housing allocation process 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 agrees 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.

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

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

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

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:  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 in respect of the way the Council managed the housing allocation process for a resident.

The report of the LGO, attached at Annex 1 to the report, found that the Council placed the complainant and his family in a property which was too small for him. This had resulted in the family living in overcrowded conditions for over two years and meant that the Council had not met its legal duties.

The authority were now required to consider the report and, within 3 months, notify the Ombudsman of the action which the authority had taken or which it proposed to take. It was confirmed that the family had now been rehoused and that the Council had agreed to pay compensation of £2000 and review its guidance and provide training to relevant Officers.

Details of the Officers response to these findings were set out at Annex 2 of the report and following further discussion it was

RESOLVED: That Cabinet agrees 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.

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

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

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

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:  To comply with legal requirements.