Brentwood Borough Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
100% Complaints upheld by Brentwood Borough Council
100% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 63% in similar authorities.
4 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Brentwood Borough Council's population, this is
5.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
1.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 4 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Brentwood Borough Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 3 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
0% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Brentwood Borough Council
In 0% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 21% in similar authorities.
0 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 4 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Brentwood Borough Council
Ombudsman investigation finds Brentwood gatekeeping homelessness applications
A Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation has found Brentwood council has been gatekeeping access to its homelessness services when people approach it for help.
Council fails to respond to restaurant nuisance complaints
A Brentwood homeowner, suffering years of distress because the council did not properly investigate her concerns about the restaurant next door to her, has had her complaint upheld by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 23 000 652
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Refuse and recycling
- The Council will review why the complaint procedure was not complied with and act on the outcome to ensure the reason is not repeated in future cases.
- The Council review what changes it can make to the service to ensure it has a process that is less reliant on driver knowledge only.
- The Council will consider whether it is feasible to introduce in-cab technology to assist crews with their collection rounds to ensure all crews have access to: information about collection routes; updated recording or relaying collection information; information about missed collections as soon as reports are received.
- The Council will consider and assess what action it can take to allow for a clearer system for crews when residents present waste in black bags for recycling and notify affected residents of any changes.The Council will consider and assess what action it can take to enable crews to clearly identify between different types of waste for collection to the rear of the shops and residential properties and notify any changes to residents affected.
- The Council will review contract arrangements with the waste contractor and monitor compliance when systemic problems have been addressed.
Case reference: 22 016 011
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the low threshold giving rise to the duty to make inquiries in what, if any, duty a person is owed where there is reason to believe they might be homeless or threatened with homelessness.
- The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that they should accept the relevant duty as soon as they are satisfied an applicant is homeless or threatened with homelessness. This decision should not be delayed by requiring information or documents not relevant to that decision.
- The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that case notes or other records should record the Council’s consideration of the suitability of interim accommodation for homeless applicants.
- The Council has agreed to ensure all decisions telling an applicant to the housing register they are not eligible or do not qualify explain the right to request a review of this decision.
Case reference: 22 005 935
Category: Environment and regulation
Sub Category: Other
- Review its record keeping for dealing with and investigating complaints of statutory nuisance to ensure it has a record of complaints, key actions including site visits, contact and correspondence with relevant parties and reasons for decisions. The Council should explain to the Ombudsman how it has improved its practice in this area.
Case reference: 21 005 864
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Private housing
- The Council should also reflect on the issues raised in this decision statement and identify any areas of service improvement. The Council should prepare a short report setting out what the Council intends to do to ensure similar problems not reoccur. This report should be sent to the Ombudsman.
Case reference: 20 002 688
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Private housing
- Share the Ombudsman's final decision with officers in the Housing Options Service and produce a briefing note to ensure they are aware of the relevant advice in the Homelessness Code of Guidance.
Last updated: 4 April 2015