Service improvements

London Borough of Barnet

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 10 of 10 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for London Borough of Barnet as a CSV file.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 008 391)

    Category: Education Date: 25-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained about the education, health and care needs assessment process. She also says the Council failed to secure the special educational provision in her child’s education, health and care plan and failed to respond to her request for a personal budget. She says this caused stress, anxiety and uncertainty. We found the Council failed to inform Ms X of the reasons for its decision to refuse her request for a personal budget. This caused her uncertainty, and she was denied the opportunity to request a review of the decision. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Ms X in recognition of the injustice caused. We do not uphold the remainder of Ms X’s complaints.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to issue a reminder to relevant staff that, if the Council refuses a request for a direct payment, it must inform the child’s parent or the young person of the reasons for the decision and their right to request a formal review of the decision in writing.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 007 569)

    Category: Housing Date: 04-Nov-2024

    Summary

    We have decided not to investigate this complaint about the priority band awarded because the Council has upheld the complaint and agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to consider all points raised in review and appeal requests and indicate how they were considered in the review or appeal decision.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 006 982)

    Category: Planning Date: 31-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Mrs Z complained about the actions of an enforcement officer when he visited her property in respect of a breach of planning control. We have found fault with the Council’s actions. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs Z, make a symbolic payment of £500 and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind all front-line enforcement staff of the importance of following the Council’s enforcement policy when carrying out visits, particularly in respect of the time limits for taking action and the expediency of taking formal action.The Council has agreed to consider after a visit, sending a follow-up letter setting out the conclusions of that visit and all options available to regularise the situation with an appropriate time-limit for action.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 002 893)

    Category: Education Date: 11-Feb-2025

    Summary

    the Council failed to put in place the speech and language therapy sessions in Ms X’s son’s education, health and care plan. An apology, payment to Ms X, arrangements to put in place the provision and reminder to officers is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind officers dealing with EHC Plans of the need to ensure the provision in a final EHC Plan is in place when concerns are raised and that the provision cannot be changed without amending and issuing a final EHC Plan.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 000 465)

    Category: Housing Date: 30-Jul-2024

    Summary

    The Council delayed the purchase of Ms B’s property during the Right to Buy (RTB) process. We have found fault by the Council in the way it delayed the process. Because of the delay, Ms B suffered distress, inconvenience and uncertainty. The Council will apologise for the delays, provide a symbolic payment and refund the additional conveyancing fees caused by the delay.

    Service improvements

    • Remind relevant staff of the importance of which Ombudsman scheme to signpost to at the conclusion of the complaints procedure.

  • London Borough of Barnet (23 020 077)

    Category: Housing Date: 20-Nov-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to provide Miss B with suitable interim accommodation. The Council was at fault for placing Miss B in unsuitable interim accommodation and incorrectly ending its relief duty. Because of the fault, Miss B suffered distress, uncertainty, inconvenience and meant she stayed in unsuitable accommodation for longer than necessary. The Council will apologise, provide staff training, and review its procurement policy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide staff training to relevant staff to remind them of the B & B accommodation six-week statutory limit for families, and the importance of placing families in suitable accommodation. This will help to ensure people are provided with suitable interim and temporary accommodation, and they do not remain in unsuitable accommodation for longer than they should.Review its procurement policy with the aim of reducing the use of B & B accommodation and increasing the supply of other types of interim and temporary accommodation. Progress on achieving this should be reported to the relevant Committee on a six monthly basis to ensure democratic oversight and accountability.. This will help to reduce the use of unsuitable B & B accommodation and ensure more suitable types of accommodation are available to people who need interim and temporary accommodation.

  • London Borough of Barnet (23 013 567)

    Category: Other Categories Date: 23-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complained about his unfair eviction from his allotment plot by an allotment association, acting on behalf of the Council. We found fault with the appeal process and the Council’s response to his complaint. To remedy the injustice to Mr X, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to acknowledge his frustration. It will also review its contracting arrangements with allotment associations in its area at the appropriate time.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide a copy of this decision statement to relevant officers to ensure they are aware of the Council’s responsibility to properly investigate complaints about bodies acting on behalf of the Council.When entering new lease arrangements, the Council has agreed to assess the review or appeal process used by the Association (and other allotment associations in its area) and:a) consider amending the Association’s formal agreements with both the Council and allotment tenants to refer to these processes;b) ensure any formal agreements reflect the fact the Council retains responsibility to ensure its statutory functions are carried out correctly; andc) ensure any review or appeal processes are written down and readily available to share should the need arise.

  • London Borough of Barnet (23 011 972)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 29-Apr-2024

    Summary

    Mr C complains the Council failed to provide support it had promised and delayed increasing a direct payment. The Council is at fault for delays in sending Mr C a support plan and paying his direct payment. To remedy the complaint the Council has agreed to apologise to Mr C, make him a symbolic payment, and repay his additional care costs while he waited for his direct payment. The Council will also remind staff to send support plans in a timely manner and review how it manages direct payments to prevent future delay.

    Service improvements

    The Council will through a staff circular, team meeting or other method remind staff about:-a) the importance of providing people with a copy of the support plan promptly, and advising them of the need to discuss any changes to the support plan before reissuing;b) processing direct payments promptly;c) offer prospective recipients an alternative way to meet their needs if there is a delay in processing a direct payment.The Council will review the process followed from the point it agrees to a direct payment to its payment. This should identify how long it takes and what steps are required to ensure payments are made in a timely manner.

  • London Borough of Barnet (23 007 871)

    Category: Education Date: 24-Feb-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complains the Council failed to adhere to statutory timescales and failed to deliver provision set out in Y’s EHCP. We have concluded our investigation having made a finding of fault. The Council failed to adhere to statutory timescales during the EHCP process. Further, the evidence does not demonstrate that much of the provision Miss X complained about was delivered, and on balance I have concluded that it did not. The Council has agreed to our recommendations.

    Service improvements

    Enhanced Monitoring of School Provisions: Conduct a review with a view to implementing a system to monitor the implementation of provision. This is in line with the Ombudsman’s expectations from Council’s as per paragraph 14.Annual Reviews: Conduct a review with a view to implementing a system to monitor the timeliness of annual reviews where the process has been delegated to schools. This should ensure sufficient monitoring arrangements are in place to identify potential failings at the earliest opportunity.

  • London Borough of Barnet (23 000 040)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 07-Apr-2024

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained about a backdated Council tax bill. We find the Council at fault for delays in issuing the bill and for failing to inform Mr and Mrs X of their appeal rights. The Council has apologised to Mr and Mrs X and acted to prevent recurrence.

    Service improvements

    Remind all relevant staff of the need to inform all service users of their appeal rights.

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