At last night’s Cabinet meeting a report was presented to members about a complaint recently reviewed by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).
The papers explained that in order to house a homeless family with six children (who had limited the areas they would accept property in), the Isle of Wight council had to purchase a four bedroomed house on the open market.
The purchase had taken place in partnership with Vectis Housing Association.
Below minimum standards
When the family who are the subject of the complaint moved into the newly-purchased property, it was discovered the fourth bedroom was below the minimum measurements to be classed as a bedroom.
At some point in 2011, the council had paid out for a three bedroom house, thinking it was a four bedroom house.
Why no checks?
It appears from the paperwork below that council officers were relying solely on Vectis Housing Association to manage the purchase of the property, who’d clearly not noticed the inadequate room size.
Many will find it difficult to understand how council money can be spent without thorough checks being made first. The papers don’t reveal the cost of the property, but we’d imagine it must be over £100,000.
Cabinet response to LGO recommendations
There is more the case (detailed in the papers below), but the outcome of the LGO review found them recommending the council pay £1,000 compensation to the family involved.
At last night’s meeting, Cabinet members voted to ignore the LGO’s recommendation to compensate Mr S and his family with £1,000, instead choosing to award £250.
Cllr Gordon Kendall, the Cabinet member responsible, said he felt the LGO recommendation was ‘out of kilter’ with the level of fault that the council had made. He added of Mr S,
“I think he’s operating the system to some degree to his own advantage”
Vote differed from written recommendation
Although a compensation figure of £250 is mentioned in the body of the paper as being more preferable by the Cabinet member, the recommendation box on page 9 of the paper reads,
That the Council agrees to award £1,000 in compensation
This option was being recommended because it was felt by the Housing Team that if £250 was offered it might lead to “the LGO continuing to work on the case and possible even issue a further report”.
We’re not aware that an amendment was tabled, so unclear why Cllr Kendall mentioned the £250 compensation figure rather than £1,000.
If you’re interested in reading the full case, papers are embedded below for your convenience.
Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Image: Images of Money under CC BY 2.0
