A WOMAN is to receive compensation after a council failed to deal with her children’s services complaint within the required timeframe.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman upheld a complaint against Worcestershire County Council after finding the authority had missed a deadline in the statutory complaints process.
The woman, named only as Mrs X, had asked for her complaint to be escalated.
The council agreed, meaning it should have completed its investigation within 65 working days, by April 28, 2026.
But the investigation was not completed in time.
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The Ombudsman said that, if it carried out a full investigation, it was likely to find the delay amounted to fault which caused Mrs X an injustice.
The council agreed to settle the case early and must now complete stage two of its investigation within one month of the Ombudsman’s final decision.
It must also tell Mrs X what further steps are available once the investigation is complete.
The authority has agreed to pay her £100 for the delay and £150 for the frustration and distress it caused.
A further £50 will be paid for every additional month until she receives the stage two decision.
The Ombudsman said the council had agreed to provide a “proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mrs X”.
