Council is criticised by watchdog

Serious concerns about a council's behaviour towards people living on a travellers' site have been raised by a local government watchdog.

Northampton Borough Council was found guilty of causing injustice through maladministration after complaints from residents of the Lower Ecton Lane site.

They complained to the Ombudsman about the way their homes were refurbished.

The council has apologised to the 13 residents and paid £4,200 in compensation to them.

It is hard to conceive of a more poorly managed project from start to finish Local Government Ombudsman Jerry White

The report details a catalogue of problems with the building of kitchen and washing facilities.

The Ombudsman Jerry White found that the council had little or no oversight of the work and had not properly consulted residents.

The Ombudsman says the council "seriously let down" the residents of the travellers' site.

'Insufficient budget'

The Ombudsman report, which goes before the council's cabinet on Wednesday, says the council failed to keep them up to date with the refurbishment plans.

It says the refurbishment work was inadequately planned, adding: "It is hard to conceive of a more poorly managed project from start to finish."

The report adds that the budget was "insufficient for the planned work" and "there was insufficient attention given to matters of health and safety".

The Ombudsman said: "The council must accept criticism for its failure to respond sooner to warnings that the refurbishment was going badly wrong."

A council report says Northampton Borough Council has accepted the Ombudsman report and accepts the maladministration finding is "very serious".