The Housing Scrutiny Commission met to discuss a call-in of an executive decision regarding a report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). The LGSCO report concerned a finding of maladministration causing injustice in a housing case. Councillors were asked to consider the call-in and decide whether to endorse, challenge, or withdraw it.

Call-in of Executive Decision on LGSCO Report

The main item for discussion was a call-in of an executive decision made by Councillor Elly Cutkelvin, Deputy City Mayor for Housing, Economy, and Neighbourhoods, on 22 May 2025. The decision related to the council's response to recommendations made in a LGSCO report regarding a case of maladministration causing injustice to a resident, referred to as Ms X in the documents.

A call-in was initiated by six councillors: Councillor Patrick Kitterick, Councillor Porter, Councillor Sahu, Councillor Haq, Councillor Rae Bhatia, and Councillor Kennedy-Lount. They requested that the decision be reviewed by the full council. Their reasons for the call-in included:

• A belief that such critical reports should be considered and discussed by the full council.
• An opportunity for all councillors to discuss the standard of accommodation provided by the council.
• A concern that failure to do so would signal a lack of seriousness regarding the LGSCO's criticisms.

The report pack included the original Executive Decision Report, the LGSCO report, and the Decision Notice.

The LGSCO's report, dated 7 October 2024, found that Leicester City Council had been guilty of maladministration causing injustice to Ms X, who complained that the council failed to provide sufficient support with her homelessness and failed to provide suitable accommodation for her and her children. The LGSCO made seven recommendations, including sending a written apology and making symbolic payments to Ms X. The council agreed to most of the recommendations but challenged two of them, which related to compensation for the distress caused by living in unsuitable Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation for longer than necessary, and for every month she remained in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

The council's rationale for challenging these recommendations was based on the argument that the issue was not solely of the council's making, but a result of international forces and government policies. The council also expressed concern that complying with these recommendations would set a precedent, potentially leading to significant financial implications for the council and other local authorities.

The Housing Scrutiny Commission was asked to consider the call-in and decide whether to:

• Note the report without further comment.
• Comment on the specific issues raised by the call-in.
• Resolve that the call-in be withdrawn.

The report from Jacob Mann, report author, noted that if the commission chose to note the report or comment on the issues, the call-in would proceed to a future meeting of the full council. If the commission resolved to withdraw the call-in, the process would stop, and the original decision made by Councillor Elly Cutkelvin would take immediate effect.

Other Business

The agenda also included items for welcome and apologies, declarations of interest, and any other urgent business.