Latest news with #SloughBoroughCouncil
6 days ago
- General
SEND assessment delay 'prolonged injustice' for mum
"Significant delays" by a council in assessing a child's special educational needs caused his mother "prolonged injustice", a government watchdog has ruled. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman ordered Slough Borough Council to pay her £1,000 for delays and lack of communication. Its report said the council's faults had caused her "significant distress and frustration". The council said it acknowledged the findings of the report and had complied with all of its recommendations. The mother, named as Ms X in the ombudsman's report, asked the council to update her son B's education health and care plan (EHCP) in March 2024. This is a legal document reviewed annually that sets out what a council has to do to meet a child's special educational needs. She wanted the council to update B's EHCP with information from a private occupational therapist's assessment she had sourced, and asked if it could reimburse her for the cost. Ms X then complained "shortly after" about the time the council had taken to update B's EHCP after a review in October 2023, and asked for a personal budget to pay for his occupational therapy. The council replied that B's annual review would take place in April, that she could discuss a personal budget then, and that it might need to take 14 weeks to reassess his needs. The council also said it had "not yet decided" whether to reimburse Ms X for the private occupational therapist's assessment. B's annual review took place in April and the council wrote to Ms X in June saying it had prepared an amended plan, that it would reimburse her for the occupational therapist's assessment and reassess B's needs. In response to her complaint, Slough Borough Council said it would consider her request for a personal budget. It accepted there had been delays in updating B's plan and securing a decision around the private occupational therapist funding. When the council did issue an updated ECHP in September 2024 the reassessment had still not taken place – and was ongoing at the time of the ombudsman's decision in March this year. The council 'said waiting for the outcome of the private OT's review, had delayed this consideration'. The ombudsman ruled this delay was "especially severe" and the the council should pay Ms X £750. In addition, the ombudsman said there was a "lack of communication! from the council in explaining its decision whether to award Ms X a personal budget, and that there was a delay in deciding whether to reimburse her for the private assessment. It said the council should pay Ms X a further £250 for these. The council said: "We are conscious of historic failings and delays within parts of our SEND service and recognise the impact this has had on some families. "In response, we have taken clear steps to strengthen the service — including increasing staffing capacity, improving oversight, and ensuring Education, Health, and Care (EHC) needs assessments are completed in a more timely and consistent way." It added: "We remain committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and to working closely with families to provide the support they need." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Authority to pay £11,750 over special needs case Council to pay £6,500 after failing autistic child SEND delay 'horrible' for boy, 11 Mother awarded £9,400 over education battle for son Slough Borough Council Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Slough Borough Council SEND assessment delays criticised in report
"Significant delays" by a council in assessing a child's special educational needs caused his mother "prolonged injustice", a government watchdog has Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman ordered the Slough Borough Council to pay her £1,000 for delays and lack of report said the council's faults had caused her "significant distress and frustration".The BBC has approached the council for comment. The mother, named as Ms X in the ombudsman's report, asked the council to update her son B's education health and care plan (EHCP) in March is a legal document reviewed annually that sets out what a council has to do to meet a child's special educational wanted the council to update B's EHCP with information from a private occupational therapist's assessment she had sourced, and asked if it could reimburse her for the X then complained "shortly after" about the time the council had taken to update B's EHCP after a review in October 2023, and asked for a personal budget to pay for his occupational therapy. 'Especially severe' The council replied that B's annual review would take place in April, that she could discuss a personal budget then, and that it might need to take 14 weeks to reassess his council also said it had "not yet decided" whether to reimburse Ms X for the private occupational therapist's assessment.B's annual review took place in April and the council wrote to Ms X in June saying it had prepared an amended plan, that it would reimburse her for the occupational therapist's assessment and reassess B's response to her complaint, Slough Borough Council said it would consider her request for a personal accepted there had been delays in updating B's plan and securing a decision around the private occupational therapist the council did issue an updated ECHP in September 2024 the reassessment had still not taken place – and was ongoing at the time of the ombudsman's decision in March this council 'said waiting for the outcome of the private OT's review, had delayed this consideration'.The ombudsman ruled this delay was "especially severe" and the the council should pay Ms X £ addition, the ombudsman said there was a "lack of communication! from the council in explaining its decision whether to award Ms X a personal budget, and that there was a delay in deciding whether to reimburse her for the private said the council should pay Ms X a further £250 for these. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Squatters still breaking into Slough council block
Squatters have still been able to break into a block of flats housing vulnerable young people after a council promised "urgent action", according to residents. Slough Borough Council pledged to secure entrances to Pendeen Court, in Cippenham, after reports of intruders sleeping in the entrances and laundry months later tenants have shown the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) several entrances were left unlocked, with dangerous rubbish left on the floor.A council spokesperson said they were aware of the issues and had been "working extensively to improve conditions for the residents". Pendeen Court is used as temporary accommodation for people who come to the council at risk of homelessness, many of who are young, single authority promised action in February after tenants revealed pictures of rough sleepers. When LDRS visited the building in May, residents showed how people could walk into the court through an unlocked bin store and how the front security door could be easily forced reported mattresses being left lying by a children's playpark in the courtyard and in tenant said: "All the doors are unlocked. There's the junkies that come in."There's glass in the park that people have to pick up and there are always cigarette butts lying around." Another resident said many living in the court "don't even want to come out of their flat".She added: "They're too worried to come out - there could be anything."A spokesperson for Slough Borough Council said bin stores were fitted with a combination padlock after the council promised action in said the padlock was found to be "no longer fastening securely" during an inspection on 20 May. 'Improve conditions for residents' The spokesperson added it had been fixed and the main door was due to be inspected on 22 May, the same day LDRS visited the court and contacted the council."We are aware of the issues being reported by residents here and we remain committed to making Pendeen Court a comfortable and safe place to live," they said."We have been working extensively to improve conditions for the residents here and will continue to do so and they know our team by name and can raise issues directly." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Experimental road closure in Slough reversed after delays
An experimental road closure which was meant to be in place for six months is being reversed after it caused delays and raised southern A4 Bath Road service road and its junction with A4 Bath Road opposite Leigh Road in Slough was closed off on 5 Borough Council's plan was to improve road safety, enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists, improve connectivity, and reduce Paul Kelly, lead member for planning, parking, highways, and transport, said it had created "unexpected congestion and delays" on the service road. The change of plan followed objections from places of worship, businesses, and land users along the service road, stating the problems it was causing getting in and Kelly said: "The transport team has listened to feedback showing that the closure was causing problems for businesses and groups on that stretch, which was not the intention."He added: "Work to remove the boltdown kerb units has been happening this week and the access point to the service road will be reopened by Saturday morning." Mr Kelly said the authority would continue to look at other safety measures as part of the A4 cycle lane works, with officers undertaking further consultations with those in the speed bumps placed along the service road are to experimental road closure announced at the same time on Littledown Road and its junction with Stoke Road is still in place for six online survey is available so that residents, commuters, and businesses can provide feedback on its effectiveness. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Slough Borough Council and councillor dispute delays land sale
A property dispute between Slough Borough Council and one of its own councillors has disrupted the sale of council authority wants to sell a patch of grassland on Hatfield Road near the town it had to withdraw the land from auction after Iftakhar Ahmed claimed he had right of way over it into his back garden on Merton says he has had "exclusive access to the land" for several years but the council disputes that. The land, opposite Hatfield multi-storey car park, was listed for sale in an online auction in the council withdrew it from sale after Ahmed applied to the Land Registry for a prescriptive easement over the would establish that he had a legal right to cross the land because he had done so openly and continuously for several years without the owner's permission. In a statement submitted to the Land Registry, Ahmed said the land "had been used and enjoyed by myself and all other occupiers, guests and licensees of the above property" since submitted to the auctioneers also show that Ahmed tried to buy the land from Slough Borough Council in 2006, before he became a his request he said he had used the land while visiting a friend who owned the house on Merton Road in 1979 and had carried on using it after the buying the home himself. 'No agreement' Ahmed told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the land was "poorly maintained by the council" and that it had been "occasionally used by the homeless and drug dealers in the area".The council disputes the councillor's claim to have a right of said images captured on Google Street View between 2009 and 2024 show that "during most of this 15-year period there is no gate, either pedestrian or vehicular" to the back of Ahmed's house.A spokesperson for the council said: "Neither councillor Iftakhar Ahmed, nor any other party, has any rights of access over this council-owned land (as confirmed by documents held by HM Land Registry)."It said that it "did not engage in any meaningful discussions" on Ahmed's 2006 request to buy the land "nor was any agreement reached".The spokesperson said Ahmed has "again expressed an interest in buying the land" but that to do so he must take part in the auction. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
