Nottinghamshire County Council — An Ongoing Audit
Nottinghamshire County Council (UK local authority) · compiled 18 July 2026 · every item links to a primary source
This is an evidence audit. Every finding carries a VERIFIED (primary source e.g. Ofsted, CQC, IICSA, High Court, LGO), DOCUMENTED (reputable press), or UNVERIFIED (advocacy only) label. Nothing here is alleged without a source link. Note: this audit covers Nottinghamshire County Council; the separate Nottingham City Council (which issued a Section 114 'bankruptcy' notice and was rated Inadequate for children's services) is a different authority and is not duplicated here.
A joint Ofsted and CQC inspection of the Nottinghamshire local area's SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) services found them 'failing'. The BBC reported children were waiting too long to access health services such as speech and language therapy, with significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
Nottinghamshire County Council failed to adequately deliver a disabled child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the High Court ruled. A judge criticised the council's failure to secure the provision set out in the plan.
The Local Government Ombudsman found Nottinghamshire County Council at fault for failing to ensure a child received the specialist provision set out in their Education, Health and Care Plan following a SEND complaint, and published a service-improvement result against the council.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that, across Nottinghamshire councils, children's social care safeguarding was 'inadequate', with significant weaknesses in staffing and failures to protect children. The inquiry examined historical failings in children's services in the area.
The Care Quality Commission rated Nottinghamshire County Council's adult social care provision 'Good', noting the council meets its responsibilities to ensure people can access the right care. This audit documents failings in SEND and historical safeguarding while noting the council is not currently rated inadequate overall for adult care.
A Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman decision dated 3 February 2026 found Nottinghamshire County Council at fault causing injustice for delaying a child's final EHC Plan after an annual review in 2024 and a needs reassessment in early 2025, leaving the child without provision for around half a term. The Council agreed to apologise and pay £650 to the family.
An Ofsted focused visit to Nottinghamshire County Council's children's services on 26 November 2025 found inconsistent decision-making and weak management oversight at the referral 'front door', with a lack of professional curiosity leaving some children in unassessed risk. The council said it had taken immediate action to address the two areas identified.
A July 2025 Ofsted and CQC monitoring inspection found the Nottinghamshire local area had taken 'reasonable steps' to address the 2023 'failing' SEND findings. Inspectors said further work was still needed on EHC-plan timeliness and speech & language waiting times.
Nottinghamshire County Council reported a £30.3m deficit in its schools reserves after SEND high-needs overspending 'exhausted' reserves. The Labour government agreed to write off 90% of such deficits, subject to councils submitting reform plans.
A joint Ofsted and CQC inspection of the Nottinghamshire local area's SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) services found them 'failing'. The BBC reported children were waiting too long to access health services such as speech and language therapy, with significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
Nottinghamshire County Council failed to adequately deliver a disabled child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the High Court ruled. A judge criticised the council's failure to secure the provision set out in the plan.
The Local Government Ombudsman found Nottinghamshire County Council at fault for failing to ensure a child received the specialist provision set out in their Education, Health and Care Plan following a SEND complaint, and published a service-improvement result against the council.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that, across Nottinghamshire councils, children's social care safeguarding was 'inadequate', with significant weaknesses in staffing and failures to protect children. The inquiry examined historical failings in children's services in the area.
The Care Quality Commission rated Nottinghamshire County Council's adult social care provision 'Good', noting the council meets its responsibilities to ensure people can access the right care. This audit documents failings in SEND and historical safeguarding while noting the council is not currently rated inadequate overall for adult care.
A Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman decision dated 3 February 2026 found Nottinghamshire County Council at fault causing injustice for delaying a child's final EHC Plan after an annual review in 2024 and a needs reassessment in early 2025, leaving the child without provision for around half a term. The Council agreed to apologise and pay £650 to the family.
An Ofsted focused visit to Nottinghamshire County Council's children's services on 26 November 2025 found inconsistent decision-making and weak management oversight at the referral 'front door', with a lack of professional curiosity leaving some children in unassessed risk. The council said it had taken immediate action to address the two areas identified.
A July 2025 Ofsted and CQC monitoring inspection found the Nottinghamshire local area had taken 'reasonable steps' to address the 2023 'failing' SEND findings. Inspectors said further work was still needed on EHC-plan timeliness and speech & language waiting times.
Nottinghamshire County Council reported a £30.3m deficit in its schools reserves after SEND high-needs overspending 'exhausted' reserves. The Labour government agreed to write off 90% of such deficits, subject to councils submitting reform plans.
A Nottinghamshire County Council officer report (covered by the BBC on 24 March 2026) said 38% of the county's roads were judged poor in 2025 and more than half of road markings were in poor or very poor condition, with a £398m repair backlog. Officers warned the network would keep deteriorating without further funding.
BBC reporting described the state of Nottinghamshire's roads as the subject of 'frequent focus' after protesters gathered outside County Hall over potholes. The Reform UK-led authority announced £2m in emergency repairs.
The Care Quality Commission rated Nottinghamshire County Council's adult social care provision 'Good', noting the council meets its responsibilities to ensure people can access the right care. This audit documents failings in SEND and historical safeguarding while noting the council is not currently rated inadequate overall for adult care.