A student with learning disabilities has won £30,000 compensation after a council failed to pay for a residential care place.

The local government watchdog found East Sussex County Council adult social services at fault of maladministration, which caused the student injustice.

Ombudsman Jerry White ordered the council to pay £30,000 to the student and £500 to his parents, who complained about their son's treatment.

The student, who has not been named, left his specialist college in June 2000.

Social services had assured the family there would be a seamless transfer to the same residential centre where many of his friends had been placed at the end of the course but did not straight away fund the placement.

The student lost his place at Sanctuary Hall, in the North-West, because of the delay and his parents eventually bought him a house so he would be near the centre early last year.

The council started paying for the student's day care shortly afterwards.

The council's governance committee will decide whether to accept the watchdog's findings next month.

Cabinet councillor Keith Glazier said the council would apologise to the student and his family for the error. Coun Glazier said the incident occurred before the present administration was elected and waiting lists at the time had been "unacceptable".

He said: "The client suffered because of the long waiting list for social services which developed at that time.

"It was one of our priorities as a new administration to get rid of the waiting list. It is very good news the list has now been totally cleared.

"The ombudsman is pleased we have adopted a different system now and acknowledges a similar problem would not arise so easily.

"He has also commended the council for all it has done to put matters right following the original error."

The council was given a zero rating last year in the first national league table of social services.

The Department of Health was mainly critical of adult services.