Complaint Handling in Kildare County Council - A Report of the Ombudsman's experience of dealing with complaints against Kildare County Council

Number

Complaint

Details

Failure to Reply

The Council was requested to provide a report in June 2003. Despite reminders, and two pre S.7 letters, the report was not received until October 2003 (almost 4 months later).

The report in this case was requested in November 2003. Despite reminders, it was not received until March 2004 (4 months later).

A report was requested in November 2003 but was not received until May 2004 (6 months later) following the issue of a pre S.7 letter. As this report did not fully address the matters raised, the Council was asked for comprehensive report on all the issues raised in the initial request in November, 2003. By July 2004, when the report had still not been received, a further pre S.7 letter issued and the report was finally received in August 2004, almost 9 months after the original request.

The Council was asked to provide a report in July 2003. This was not received until December 2005 (5 months later) following the issue of a pre S.7 letter. This case also showed long delays in obtaining a further report which was requested in June 2004 and not received until October 2004, despite written and telephone reminders.

The first report was requested in July 2003 but was not received until November (4 months later). In June 2004 further information was requested. By August, when the information had not been provided, a S.7 Notice issued and the report was received later that month.

A report was requested in October 2003. A pre S.7 letter issued in January following which an interim reply was received. A further interim reply was also received in February 2004. By October it became necessary to issue a further pre S.7 letter and the report was finally received in November 2004, over a year after the initial request.

A report requested in November 2004 was not received until February 2004 (3 months later) following reminders and a pre S.7 letter. The information requested and provided was quite basic, yet it took almost 3 months to provide it.

The complaint concerned the Council's failure to reply to the complainant. Our request sought the reasons for that failure and a copy of the response that had, or would issue. It took almost 4 months to get a response from the Council following reminders and a pre S.7 letter.

This complaint arose out of difficulties created as a result of work carried out by the Council's agents. A report was requested in March 2005 but not received until June 2005 (3 months later). As the person dealing with the matter had been ill, there were understandable reasons for the delay at that stage. Further information was requested in June 2005. Two reminders were issued and the Council subsequently advised in September 2005 that it had no record of our correspondence. The response which was finally received in October 2005, contained four lines which included an apology for the delay and an offer of redress to resolve the matter. Three pre S.7 letters issued in this case before the responses required were received.

The request for a report in this case issued in September 2004. In December 2004 the Council telephoned to say that it had no record of the complainant and the report subsequently received in December confirmed this. However, in February 2005, an acknowledgement was received from the Council to the effect that the Council was awaiting a detailed report and would contact us again.

The Council's responses in this case resulted in the Ombudsman giving the complainant incorrect information. We subsequently went back to the Council to establish the position, and it took a further 2 months to get the response.

A report was requested in June 2004. However, an Enforcement Notice subsequently issued in November 2004, but this Office was not provided with a report until 14 January 2005 (7 months later) following the issue of a S.7 Notice in January 2005.

Further information was sought in February 2005 and an interim report received in April 2005. As the report had not been received a further S.7 Notice issued in August 2005 and the response was received later that month. However, the matter had not been finalised. The case was brought to the attention of the new SEO in Planning in the course of a meeting on 8 December 2005 and a follow up letter issued to the Council on 13 December 2005. The report which was finally received in March 2006, stated that the complainant had been advised on 4 November 2005 that the developer was now in compliance. However, there was no explanation for the delays and no reason was given as to why the Ombudsman could not have been advised at the same time as the complainant. It was unsatisfactory from the Ombudsman's point of view, to be writing to the complainant months after the matter had been finalised.

It was necessary to issue two S. 7 Notices in this case.

The complaint was referred to the Council for a report in May 2005 but the report was not received until August 2005 following the issue of a S.7 Notice

A report was requested in April 2005 but not received until July 2005 following the issue of a S.7 Notice. Once received, it was possible to close the case within a very short period.

Report requested in May 2005. The report was received in August 2005 following the issue of a pre S.7 letter.

Report requested in March 2005 but not received until June 2005 following the issue of a pre S.7 letter. Case concerns a refusal to grant a waiver. A further report was requested in November but not responded to until February 2006.

Planning Administration

A report requested in October 2005 was not received until March 2006 (6 months later) following the issue of a pre S.7 letter and a further letter in January 2006.

Report requested September 2005 but was not received until May 2006 following a pre S.7 letter, a meeting with the Council and a follow up letter.

Report requested December 2005 and not received until February 2006 following a pre S.7 letter.

Planning Enforcement

Report requested May 2005 seeking some very straight forward information was not received until August 2005 following a S.7 Notice.

Housing Repairs

Report requested August 2005 but not received until November 2005 following the issue of a S.7 Notice.

Report requested October 2005 but not received until January 2006 following the issue of a S.7 Notice. This was quite a straight forward case with no obvious reason for such a delay.

Report requested January 2006 but was not received until June following the issue of a S.7 Notice. .

Report requested November 2006. A pre S.7 letter issued 31 January 2007. The report was received on 14 February 2007.

Report requested October 2006. A S.7 Notice issued 15 January 2007 and the report was received on 5 February 2007.

Report requested August 2006. Report not received until January 2007 following the issue of a S.7 Notice.

Report requested September 2006 and not received until January 2007 following the issue of a S.7 Notice.

Report requested July 2006 and received in November 2006 following the issue of a pre S.7 letter.

Report requested August 2006. S.7 Notice issued 29 December and report received 8 January 2007.

Report requested November 2006. A S.7 Notice issued on 2 March 2007 and a response was received on 16 March 2007

Housing Loans & Grants

Report requested on 1 November 2006 but not received until 28 February 2007 following the issue of a pre S.7 letter.

Report requested July 2006. S.7 Notice issued 8 December 2006 and report received 8 January 2007.