A report by the Local Government Ombudsman has concluded that Suffolk County Council acted wrongly in the way it decided to cancel subscriptions to an audio book service for a group of blind and partially sighted people without consulting them.
Responding to a request by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to investigate the issue on behalf of a number of people with sight loss who suddenly had their Talking Books subscriptions stopped, the decision helps to clarify what Local Authorities should be taking into consideration before making cuts.
Consider likely impact
The report states that before a public body decides to change policies or services, it should consider the likely impact of any proposals on disabled service users, and give users the opportunity to voice their concerns.
The Ombudsman found fault in the way the Council decided to cancel the customer's subscriptions, noting in particular that it did not take into account the needs of people with disabilities. It also failed to identify that Talking Books are funded under community care legislation and did not consider carrying out social care assessments for those whose subscriptions it stopped.
Reconsider each decision
Following the Ombudsman's conclusions that it acted wrongly, the Council has agreed to implement the recommendations contained in the report and reconsider its decision in each case.
Pat Beech, Manager for RNIB's National Library Service, said: "RNIB welcomes the findings by the Ombudsman that Suffolk County Council acted wrongly and that the customers lost out on an opportunity to have a say in how services are provided to them.
"However, we are disappointed that those affected will not have their subscriptions automatically reinstated. Many blind and partially sighted people cannot get to their local library and listening to a Talking Book is one of the things that they can enjoy without having to rely on anyone else."
The RNIB Talking Book Service holds around 20,000 titles and is one of the largest collections of unabridged audio books in the world.
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Notes to editors
A full copy of the Ombudsman's report can be found at
www.lgo.org.uk/complaint-outcomes/social-care/social-care-archive-2012-13/suffolk-county-council-11-017-875-amp-6-others
For media enquiries please contact Rachel Cafferty in RNIB's Public Relations Team on 0207 391 2043 or 0207 391 2223, email rachel.cafferty@rnib.org.uk
About RNIB
Everyday around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. There are around 2 million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk