High Court favours Wakefield decision

A couple from Wakefield who claim their local council is not
providing them with adequate support for their autistic son lost
their case in the High Court last week.

The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claim that
Wakefield Council withdrew an offer to provide 23 hours’ help per
week with their son and six to seven hours “domestic assistance”
last September.

The council denied making any firm promises and said a social
worker who visited the couple merely indicated extra help was a
possibility.

The parents’ barrister argued that they had a “legitimate
expectation” that the council’s offer was genuine and therefore the
decision to go back on the promise was “unlawful”. The barrister
indicated that they now planned to take their case to the Court of
Appeal.