My Local Authority Caught Lying to LGO

yes, but in this case they gave a name of person as the commissioner/autism lead and when I called them they said they are not the autism lead and never have been, so they have lied to the LGO for the purpose of satisfying my complaint because then it means they don't have to act.

where is NAS in this ? they are busy with campaigns, meetings, award cermonies, charging for training, selling stuff, lectures blah blah, nothing that helps adults that have been stuck in the cycle for ages. They are good at telling you what help you should get, give you hints at what you can do and what the law is but don't and won't see any case through, challenge anyone, point the finger or get involved with any individual case, provide legal support or mediators - why - because these things they cannot make money from.

It is very difficult to prove a complaint through a local authority, and the Local Authority Ombudsman has a let out clause in many cases that there isn't a clear breach in law. Often, while unfair, nothing illegal has occurred.

The Commissioning Officer is technically the same as the Autism Lead.  Except often local authorities haven't actually done this - just the Autism Act requires it, so to get round the Autism Act they give a named person, a commissioner or lead for something else. That person may have nothing to do with it. If there is a commissioning officer he/she may be the one for mental health or learning disability who is nominally covering autism, but doesn't.

Of course that was the purpose of the Act, to get a specific autism commissioning officer/lead in place, rather than autism being covered by mental health or learning disability.

The trouble is the Government allowed local authorities to get round this by having autism as a specified part of a partnership board, so it can be under the commissioning officer or lead for mental health or learning disability. They are supposed to table separately, but probably don't. My former local authority only discussed autism if it was comorbid with a learning disability.

So the loophole is that that commissioner or lead is nominated to lead for autism, but hasn't officially been given the role. Gilbert & Sullivan wrote an opera about this sort of thing - The Mikado - where an execution existed on paper even if not in reality.

So you can ask the designated commissioner, and he/she is telling the truth if they say they don't cover autism. That's because it has not been made official. And the Local Authority is not in default either, because they've made it the intention, even if not actually implemented. And that I'm afraid to say is good enough for the Government, and the Local Government Ombudsman.

Just it is tough on us. The Autism Act was a sop.

Although where NAS is in all this......? I was waiting to see if the Mods would comment, but I suspect NAS really doesn't comprehend that the Autism Act is all talk no action - like the Mikado, its as good as implemented.

yes, you're right, I hate hearing people talk/shout/play music/bang doors etc when I am in my living space, I think it's because my brain has to process it, it's in the foreground not the background or I feel other people are affecting my environment. I'm not that bothered so much about noise when outside, apart from like in a shop, on the bus etc where personal stereos and people talking on mobiles drive me mad, but I hate buskers with amplifiers as well as I have to walk past and get severe gbh of the earholes with twanging guitars and drums. I think it's when I feel trapped by the noise. yes homes should be built with better insulation or soundproofing, unlike this one I am in now which was built before the soundproof regulations, the people above me I can hear him going to the toilet, his radio, him walking on the floor, the person on the left sings - it's like listening to those awful x-factor auditions, I can also hear him knocking one off because the bed is creaking, hear his TV and hear him on the phone and the rest of the people here I have to bear slamming doors all day and talking in the hallway.

Noise is an issue that I am having problems with as well. I am a quiet person, live by routine, and never play music too loud - most of the time I am reading or quietly surfing the Internet. Some people have their music on so loud that I can hear the precise lyrics even though they are not in the same house as me, or they have all night long arguments - I was once kept awake by a domestic argument that went on all night long!. Why people can't live more quietly is beyond me, but we all have a right to a peaceful home life, and people with autism are often even more affected by noise so quietude is essential for our mental wellbeing. Homes should be built with better sound insulation, but don't get me started on that.....

thanks, I'm never going to give up, because I have no choice, everyday I have to put up with other peoples noise and the only way I can have any peace in my life would be to have somewhere quiet to live.

I am several steps ahead of them, I hope someone is reprimanded for lying to the LGO.

I agree with Hope, the more people that stand up to the LA, the better.  I'm about to start a battle with myself in relation to my daughter's education and although its giving me sleepless nights and my doubts that I can fight them, I'm going to damn well try my hardest.

Well done for being proactive and not letting them take you for a ride. The more people who stand up to the corrupt powers that be the better.

I can only sympathise with your plight, having faced similar obstacles myself.

I hope things improve for you, but you could be in for the long fight. Don't give up, though.