Complaint against local council upheld for causing “confusion and injustice”
A mother who faced domestic abuse was left shocked after her local council moved their abuser’s relative onto the same street as them.
Bristol City Council have had a complaint against them upheld for failing to “follow its complaints policy” and causing confusion to the victim.
The council apologised and accepted they made errors in its processing of the case which caused unnecessary delays.
They also said they had reviewed it procures since the incident to make sure the incident was not repeated.
In the ombudsman’s report the victim stated the council did not stop the relative of the abuser moving into the road, and did not help her when she said she wished to move.
The victim said the incident caused her and her family “considerable distress”.
The ombudsman found “fault” with the complaint response from the council.
They found the response was “uncoordinated” and “caused confusion and injustice”.
However, the Social Care Ombudsman added that it was an “unfortunate coincidence” and that:
“There was no information on Miss B or Ms D’s housing applications to indicate they knew each other, or that Ms D knew Miss B’s perpetrator.”
The victim and her children have since left the property and were rehoused by Bristol City Council.
