Council failed to properly accommodate disabled tenant while trying to save money

A council has been slammed by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) for leaving a disabled man in unsuitable accommodation for three years - because it wanted to save money. The LGO began an investigation after a complaint was made in November 2010 that Daventry District Council failed to deal properly with the man’s application to adapt his property. The changes were needed to create a downstairs bedroom for the complainant, who suffers with a degenerative medical condition and uses a wheelchair. The application met all the criteria for funding but because the estimated cost was in excess of the statutory maximum grant of £30,000, Daventry chose an alternative scheme through Northamptonshire County Council. The scheme could have paid for the work at no cost to the council but the application was delayed and was ultimately unsuccessful. The LGO found that the council should have considered making a discretionary grant to cover the shortfall in the initial scheme rather than pursuing the no-cost option for an unacceptable length of time.