Royal Mail fined £5.6m by UK regulator for missing delivery targets – The Guardian

Posted November 13th, 2023 in fines, news, ombudsmen, postal service by tracey

‘Royal Mail has been fined £5.6m by the regulator for missing its first- and second-class delivery targets.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

South Gloucestershire families needing respite care failed by council – BBC News

‘Almost a third of families with SEND children needing respite care have been failed by a council, according to a watchdog.’

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BBC News, 12th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Pensions Ombudsman – competent but not a court – Pensions Barrister

Posted November 9th, 2023 in appeals, chambers articles, courts, jurisdiction, news, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

‘The trustees of a pension scheme discover that members have been mistakenly overpaid: perhaps because the trustees misinterpreted the scheme rules, or perhaps because certain provisions of the scheme rules that were assumed to be valid were in fact invalid. The trustees decide to recoup the overpayments by setting them off against members’ instalments of future pension. A member raises a dispute, either as to the amount to be recouped or the rate of deduction.’

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Pensions Barrister, 9th November 2023

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

First Online Safety Act guidance for tech platforms targets grooming – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2023 in child abuse, children, codes of practice, internet, news, ombudsmen, sexual offences by sally

‘Social media platforms should fight online grooming by not suggesting children as “friends” by default, the communications watchdog says.’

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BBC News, 8th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK government to introduce legislation to create independent football regulator – The Guardian

Posted November 8th, 2023 in bills, government departments, news, ombudsmen, sport by sally

‘The government is to put a football governance bill before parliament in the coming year, confirming the legislation that will create an independent regulator for the game.’

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The Guardian, 7th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

BBC documentary about Brink’s-Mat robbery misrepresented lawyer, says Ofcom – The Independent

Posted November 8th, 2023 in BBC, misrepresentation, news, ombudsmen, robbery, solicitors, tax avoidance by sally

‘A critic of tax havens who featured in a BBC documentary about the Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery was misrepresented, according to Ofcom.’

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The Independent, 7th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Priory Group charged with criminal offences over death of patient – The Guardian

‘The Priory healthcare group has been charged with two criminal offences over the death of a 23-year-old man who was hit by a train after absconding from a mental health hospital.’

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The Guardian, 6th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman finds severe maladministration for Clarion in “tragic” noise case following death of resident who took his own life – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for Clarion after its “lack of consideration” of a resident’s vulnerability when handling his complaints about noise led to him suffering over a nine-month period.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

CA confirms Ombudsman not “competent court” – Pensions Barrister

Posted November 2nd, 2023 in appeals, courts, news, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

‘Judgment of the CA was handed down today in Pensions Ombudsman v CMG Pension Trustees Ltd. CA confirmed that the requirement in s.91(6) PA95 for trustees to obtain an order of “a competent court”, where their right to recoup overpaid benefits from future pension payments is disputed by the member, is not satisfied solely by a determination of the Ombudsman. This means that such a determination will require to be enforced by the county court on the application of the trustees. However, the Court rejected the respondent’s argument that the county court has a judicial role to play, and held that enforcement was purely an administrative matter to be carried out by a court officer, without the court considering the merits of the matter.’

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Pensions Barrister, 1st November 2023

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

Wiltshire police to review thousands of checks on suspected violent partners – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2023 in disclosure, domestic violence, news, ombudsmen, police, statistics by sally

‘A police force is reviewing thousands of applications made under Clare’s law, which gives people the right to ask whether a partner has a violent past, after it came to light that wrong or incomplete information has been given.’

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The Guardian, 26th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman decision on overpayment – Pensions Barrister

Posted October 26th, 2023 in marriage, news, ombudsmen, pensions, teachers, widows by sally

‘In this casenote, Paul Newman KC considers the recent decision of the Deputy Pensions Ombudsman in the matter of Mrs S, whose widow’s pension in the Teacher’s Pension Scheme had terminated by reason of remarriage – unknown to the administrator.’

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Pensions Barrister, 26th October 2023

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

Pensions disputes: UK ombudsman weighs in on pension benefits calculations – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 24th, 2023 in complaints, news, ombudsmen, pensions by tracey

‘In two recent cases the UK’s Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has responded to member concerns that a provider has not calculated their pension benefits correctly.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 23rd October 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Ombudsman gains powers to issue “wider orders” under Social Housing Regulation Act – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 17th, 2023 in complaints, housing, landlord & tenant, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Housing Ombudsman has gained new powers under the Social Housing Regulation Act, allowing it not only to address individual complaints from a landlord, but also extend “fairness and protection” to wider residents.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th October 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

BBC and ITV among broadcasters investigated over possible competition law breaches – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2023 in BBC, competition, media, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘The competition watchdog has launched an investigation into a group of broadcasters, including the BBC and ITV, over their use of freelance staff and services.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Microsoft’s $69bn deal to buy Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard cleared by UK – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2023 in competition, computer programs, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘The UK’s competition watchdog has cleared Microsoft’s $69bn (£54bn) deal to buy Activision Blizzard, the maker of games including Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, in a move that paves the way for both companies to complete the transaction.’

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The Guardian, 13th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK public cloud infrastructure services market investigation opened – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 11th, 2023 in competition, computer programs, internet, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘An in-depth investigation has been opened by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to determine whether competition is working well in the UK public cloud infrastructure services market. The investigation has been spurred by a referral made by another UK regulator.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th October 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Wandsworth Prison unsafe and inhumane – watchdog report – BBC News

‘A men’s prison in south-west London has been deemed “unsafe and inhumane”, a watchdog report has warned.’

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BBC News, 11th October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

No rule to stop Tory MP interviewing minister on GB News, says Ofcom boss – The Guardian

‘Ofcom’s chief executive has said there is nothing under current rules to stop GB News using the Conservative MP Lee Anderson to interview the Tory home secretary, Suella Braverman.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog updates technical guidance for schools regarding pupils with protected characteristics – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has updated its technical guidance for schools in England and Scotland, outlining the obligations the Equality Act places upon schools regarding pupils with protected characteristics and the provision of their education.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Data breaches putting domestic abuse victims’ lives at risk, says UK watchdog – The Guardian

‘Councils, police forces and hospitals are putting women’s lives at risk by accidentally disclosing domestic abuse victims’ addresses to perpetrators, the UK’s information watchdog has said.’

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The Guardian, 27th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com