The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman chose to uphold the resident’s complaint, stating she had spent “significant time and trouble pursuing her complaint”
A stage 3 panel is due to be held next week to properly consider the woman’s complaint (stock photo)(Image: Alex Potemkin via Getty Images)
A South London resident has been awarded £100 after the council took too long to consider her complaint during the final stage of the children’s statutory complaints procedure.
The unnamed resident had complained to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) about Lewisham Council’s delay in progressing her stage three complaint.
A spokesperson for Lewisham Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We agree to and accept the decision made by the [LGSCO], recognising that our performance in this case wasn’t acceptable. We would like to apologise to the family for the distress caused and assure them that we will learn from this outcome.”
During this stage of the children’s statutory complaints procedure, a stage 3 review panel should meet within 30 days of the complainant requesting it. After this, the panel must provide the complainant with a report within five working days – the council then has 15 days to respond to the panel’s recommendations
During its assessment, the LGSCO said if it was to investigate the complaint, it would likely find the council at fault.
The LGSCO said this is because the woman, known only as Miss X, asked the council to progress her complaint to stage three of the statutory complaints procedure in July but there had been a delay in doing so.
The LGSCO chose to uphold the complaint, explaining Miss X had spent “significant time and trouble pursuing her complaint”.
In its conclusion, the LGSCO said: “We therefore asked the council to arrange the stage three panel meeting within one month.
“We also asked the council to apologise to Miss X for the delay and pay her £100 to remedy the time and trouble she has been to in pursuing her complaint.”
The council has reportedly agreed to pay Miss X £100, as well as agreeing to resolve the complaint early by providing an appropriate remedy.
The LDRS understands the stage 3 panel is scheduled for next week.
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