Watchdog tells police bosses to stop declaring thoughts are crimes – The Independent

Posted March 11th, 2022 in criminal justice, hate crime, news, ombudsmen, police by tracey

‘There is “no such thing as a thought crime”, the outgoing chief inspector of constabulary said as he told police bosses they “enforce the law, they do not make it”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 10th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Boris Johnson’s push to recruit 20,000 more police increased risk of ‘unsuitable’ officers, watchdog finds – The Independent

Posted March 11th, 2022 in disciplinary procedures, government departments, news, ombudsmen, police by tracey

‘Risks that racist and misogynist police could slip through checks were increased by the government’s push to rapidly recruit 20,000 extra officers, a watchdog has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 11th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Three million dead can be part of Mastercard action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 10th, 2022 in class actions, consumer credit, domicile, fees, financial regulation, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Around three million now-dead people can continue to be part of a mammoth group action against Mastercard after the Competition Appeal Tribunal today ruled that anyone living in the UK when the claim form was filed should be part of the class.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 9th March 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rape victims ‘systematically failed’ in England and Wales, report finds – The Guardian

‘Rape survivors who report their attackers are being systematically failed by the criminal justice system resulting in an average wait of nearly two years before a trial begins, a damning official report has found.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th February 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog clears legal app over using ‘shyster’ in TV advert – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2022 in advertising, complaints, interpretation, Judaism, news, ombudsmen, racism by sally

‘The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rejected a complaint about a TV advert for legal support app Legal Utopia using the word “shyster”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd February 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Council agrees to pay £3,600+ over failure to secure significant part of SEN support for autistic boy – Local Government Lawyer

‘A county council has agreed to pay more than £3,600 following a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) investigation into how a teenager on the autism spectrum was left without a significant proportion of his agreed special educational needs (SEN) support for up to three years.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th February 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Boohoo ad banned by regulator for objectifying women – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2022 in advertising, complaints, news, ombudsmen, women by sally

‘An T-shirt advert for fashion retailer Boohoo has been banned after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received a complaint the images objectified and sexualised women.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th February 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Competition watchdog accepts Google’s privacy changes – The Independent

‘The competition watchdog has accepted proposed changes made by Google to the way it uses customer data.’

Full Story

The Independent, 11th February 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK watchdog to study music streaming amid claims of raw deal for artists and fans – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2022 in artistic works, competition, internet, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘The UK’s competition watchdog has launched an in-depth study into the booming music streaming market, to assess whether the big record labels and services such as Spotify hold “excessive power”, and whether artists and fans are getting a fair deal.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Oatly ads banned by UK watchdog over ‘misleading’ green claims – The Guardian

‘The UK advertising watchdog has banned a high-profile marketing campaign by Swedish alt-milk brand Oatly after ruling its green claims were misleading.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs criticise UK gambling regulator for trying to reduce addiction – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2022 in gambling, lobbying, news, ombudsmen, parliament, regulations by tracey

‘A committee of MPs has produced a report criticising the gambling industry regulator for trying to reduce addiction and urging ministers to take it into special measures.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

End-to-end encryption protects children, says UK information watchdog – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2022 in children, data protection, delay, internet, news, ombudsmen, privacy, telecommunications by sally

‘The UK data watchdog has intervened in the debate over end-to-end encryption, warning that delaying its introduction puts “everyone at risk” including children.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ofsted withdraws ‘intrusive’ guidance for childminders to disclose depression – The Independent

Posted January 14th, 2022 in bereavement, children, disclosure, mental health, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Ofsted has withdrawn guidance suggesting childminders should notify the watchdog if they have depression or have been bereaved following criticism that the requirement would be “intrusive”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 13th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK data watchdog warns No 10 staff not to erase messages amid party probe – The Independent

‘The UK’s data watchdog has warned that it is important “official records are kept” as Downing Street staff face an investigation over allegations of lockdown-breaking.’

Full Story

The Independent, 13th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Peter Sutcliffe: Yorkshire Ripper ‘should have been able to call ex-wife before he died’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 13th, 2022 in murder, news, ombudsmen, prisons, restraint by tracey

‘An independent report into the serial killer’s death also criticises the use of restraints on him while being taken to hospital.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2022

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ombudsman finds London borough guilty of severe maladministration in handling of complaint about leak – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 12th, 2022 in compensation, delay, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, ombudsmen, repairs by tracey

‘A Housing Ombudsman investigation has found complaint handling failures at the London Borough of Ealing that amounted to severe maladministration, in a case in which a resident had to wait six years for a leaking roof to be replaced.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

HMP Styal: Prisoner who had stillborn baby ‘will never forgive jail’ – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2022 in birth, news, ombudsmen, pregnancy, prisons by tracey

‘A prisoner who gave birth to a stillborn baby in the toilet of a cell has said she “will never forgive the prison” for the “horror death”. Louise Powell, 31, who did not know she was pregnant, said she begged for an ambulance before her baby died at HMP Styal in Cheshire in 2020. She told BBC Newsnight she was left alone when she was “crying for help”.
The Prisons and Probations Ombudsman found there were “missed opportunities” to identify her urgent clinical needs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 11th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ombudsman recommends county council pay nearly £7k after boy left without education for two years – Local Government Lawyer

‘A boy with special education needs who received “virtually no” education for two years should be given £6,900 in compensation by Suffolk County Council, an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK data watchdog seeks talks with Meta over child protection concerns -The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2022 in children, data protection, internet, news, ombudsmen, privacy by tracey

‘The UK’s data watchdog is seeking clarification from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta about parental controls on its popular virtual reality headset, as campaigners warned that it could breach an online children’s safety code.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough’s housing allocation policy in breach of Equality Act, Ombudsman finds – Local Government Lawyer

‘A mother of two disabled children has successfully brought a complaint against Greenwich Council after a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation found the local authority’s social housing allocation policy disadvantaged the family.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk