Bracknell Forest Council has been forced to pay out more than £4,700 due to errors in the way it has dealt with residents this year.

People who dispute decisions made by their local council can seek adjudication through the Local Government Ombudsman, which can resolve disputes and in some cases recommend councils make hefty pay outs to an aggrieved party.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSO) specifically looks into cases about adult social care and education.

There has been four times when Bracknell Forest Council was found to be at fault by the LGSO since the start of this year, with it paying out a total of £4,750 to people who have complained.

READ MORE: Record levels of fly-tipping in Bracknell - and no court fines in 12 months

The lion share of the sum, £4,200, was granted to a mum because the council failed to provide her son with suitable education for six months between January 2020 and June 2020.

It also delayed in providing the boy with an adequate Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan for 10 months.

EHC plans are devised for children who’s educational needs exceed what can be provided in mainstream education.

The council accepted fault in the case, which was acknowledged by the ombudsman.

It was also found at fault in the way it handled a disabled blue badge application for an autistic boy.

The blue badges allow people to park in disabled bays, with a mum applying for a badge for her son, who was three years old at the time.

The mum had argued that she struggled to take her son out because of the severity of his autism, and the he could pose a risk to himself and others.

READ MORE: Investigators call for an overhaul of Bracknell's blue badge process after scrutiny

She wanted a blue badge for her son to make trips out both easier and safer.

But Bracknell Forest Council’s adult social care department, which is in charge of Blue Badge allocations, refused her request.

Although the ombudsman accepted that the denial of blue badge was a decision the council was entitled to reach, they ruled that the council failed to adequately explain why it had reached its decision in the first refusal letter sent to the mum.

No pay out was awarded in this case. Instead, it was recommended that the council improve the way it documents its approach to considering Blue Badge applications.

Changes were made following a review into the Blue Badge process which concluded in September.

In the third instance, a Bracknell Dad received £300 after his son suffered a drastic decline in teaching hours due to a delay in enacting his EHC plan.

Ultimately, the boy received less school hours than other pupils for 18 months.

READ MORE: Bracknell primary school celebrates Good OFSTED rating for first time in its history

The LGSO found that the council failed to enact the boy’s EHC plan within the 20 week deadline, but did not consider the loss of teaching hours “a significant injustice.”

The ombudsman recommended that council staff make clear written records of their decisions and genuinely considercwhether part time education is suitable in the future.

The last LGO review that was upheld this year was delivered in July.

Here, a Mum received £250 in compensation after the council conducted a review of her son’s EHC plan without recognising it as review, therefore denying her a right to appeal the review and the decisions made within it.

Here, the ombudsman recommended that the council apologise and make sure staff receive relevant training to understand early reviews to EHC plans and make sure they follow the correct statutory process.