LGO attacks council after disabled man left in unsuitable accommodation for 3 years

The Local Government Ombudsman has sharply criticised a district council after a disabled man was left to live in unsuitable accommodation for three years because the authority wanted to save money.

The LGO launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from Mr & Mrs Beech that Daventry District Council had failed to deal properly with an application to adapt their property in November 2010.

Mr Beech suffers from a degenerative medical condition and the alterations would mean he could continue to live in the property.

The changes would have created a downstairs bedroom for Mr Beech, who uses a wheelchair.

The application to extend the rented home met all the relevant criteria for funding. However, the full cost of the build exceeded the statutory maximum grant of £30,000.

Daventry therefore sought alternative funding from Mr Beech’s landlord, a housing association.

It also identified a county-wide scheme which offered full funding at no cost to the council.

Daventry’s application for assistance under the scheme was delayed and ultimately proved unsuccessful.

In October 2011 the housing association offered to top up the £5,000 needed to fund the original build. However, the district council insisted on pursuing the alternative scheme until March 2013.

The Ombudsman, Dr Jane Martin, concluded that the council should have considered making a discretionary grant to cover the shortfall in the initial scheme rather than pursuing the no-cost option for an unacceptable length of time.

Dr Martin recommended that Daventry:

  • Apologise to Mr and Mrs Beech;
  • Pay the couple £5,000;
  • Assist in ensuring the build is completed within five months of its decision;
  • Review its procedures so that it considers all options “including its own discretionary powers to grant discretionary payments to top up disabled facilities grants in cases such as these”.

The council has agreed to start work on the alterations.

Dr Martin said: “The family has been left in unsuitable accommodation for far more time than necessary because Daventry District Council chose to pursue the money-saving option.

“While I recognise the financial constraints local authorities are under in the current economic climate, I find it unacceptable that this much-needed work has been held up for so long.”

She added: “These delays have caused considerable stress and anxiety to both the complainant and his wife and I welcome the fact that the council is now putting in place plans to improve their situation.”