Decision details

The Assembly will receive a report on the outcome of an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman where the Council has been found at fault for failing to take appropriate action in response to concerns raised by an individual of a cancer cluster in their neighbourhood, together with the Council’s action plan in response to the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services introduced a report on a complaint against the Council which was investigated by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO).  The final report was returned to the Council on 15 January 2021 and was appended to the report as Appendix 1.

The complainant (referred to as Mrs D) complained that the Council failed to take appropriate action after she raised concerns of a cancer cluster in her neighbourhood in April 2018. She did not receive responses on a number of occasions, the Council only provided a stage 2 response after the complainant went to the LGO, and then she was wrongly signposted to the Environment Agency.

The Cabinet Member advised that the Council acknowledged fault and had accepted responsibility for this complaint. The council agreed to the LGO recommendations and had actioned them.

The Assembly resolved to note the LGO report and actions taken in response to the complaint findings.