LOCAL government and social care ombudsman Amerdeep Clarke singled out Leicester City Council today for “repeatedly declining to agree to our recommendations” to compensate families “impacted by its failings.”

She criticised the local authority for not fully accepting the “personal impact of what has gone wrong,” after it refused her recommendation to pay a homeless family £3,525 for the injustice of having to live in unsuitable B&B accommodation for 42 weeks longer than they should have done, plus £500 for the uncertainty and distress caused.

Her investigation found failures in the council’s handling of the case, including taking too long to decide that it owed the family the main housing duty and failing to move the family to self-contained accommodation after six weeks of living in the B&B, contrary to the law.

It is the second time this year the council has refused to accept one of the ombudsman’s recommendations.

The council was approached for comment.