Overview
The complainant (Mr C) raised concerns about how Glasgow City Council (the Council)'s Social Work Service handled complaints made by local residents about problems arising from a nearby children's unit (the Children's Unit), about the Social Work Service's application for planning consent for the extension of the Children's Unit, and the consideration of that application by the Council's Development and Regeneration Service.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
(a) the Council's Social Work Service failed to record and respond appropriately to complaints about the behaviour of children in the Children's Unit (partially upheld);
(b) the Council's Development and Regeneration Service arbitrarily extinguished conditions attached by the former authority to a previous consent for change of use relating to car parking and the maximum number of children to be accommodated (not upheld); and
(c) the Council's Development and Regeneration Service failed in considering the application for the extension of the Children's Unit accurately to apply a relevant City Plan policy with reference to retained landscaped area within the curtilage of the property (not upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommended that the Council review whether, in the case of complaints about the Social Work Service management response to problems emanating from children in the Council's care, which are not appropriate for being dealt with in terms of the statutory procedure, these should be considered under their corporate complaints procedure.
The Council have accepted the recommendation and will act on it accordingly.