Service improvements

London Borough of Bromley

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 20 cases with service improvements

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

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 009 642)

    Category: Housing Date: 07-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s delay in rehousing her after she had to leave her home due to domestic abuse. We found the Council’s failure to properly consider Miss X’s circumstances or review its records to confirm what, if any, duty it owed Miss X in March 2023 is fault. This fault caused Miss X confusion and uncertainty for which the Council will apologise.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind relevant officers of the legal duty to assess and make an accurate and comprehensive record of the current housing and support needs of the applicant. Particularly where the Council has previously accepted a duty to the applicant.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 007 666)

    Category: Housing Date: 21-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council provided him and his family with temporary accommodation which was unsuitable. We found fault by the Council. This caused Mr X and his family a significant injustice because they were in unsuitable accommodation for 12 months. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X and his family, make a payment in recognition of the injustice caused and clear the rent arrears it says they owe for the temporary accommodation.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind its housing staff they must reassess the suitability of interim accommodation when it becomes an applicant’s temporary accommodation.The Council will remind its housing staff to inform applicants about their right to request a s202 suitability review when their interim accommodation becomes temporary accommodation.The Council will remind its housing and complaints staff that requests to move from temporary accommodation because it is unsuitable should be treated as a s202 suitability review request and not as a complaint.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 006 466)

    Category: Education Date: 13-Feb-2025

    Summary

    There was fault in the way the Council considered whether it had a duty to provide alternative education when a child stopped attending their school. During this investigation the Council has offered a suitable remedy for the injustice caused to Ms X and her child. This offer, and our recommended service improvements, are a satisfactory resolution to the complaint.

    Service improvements

    The Council will ensure officers follow a clear andconsistent process when considering s.19 and s.42 duties. This should includeconsulting professionals involved with the child, considering all the evidence,reaching a decision, recording the decision and rationale, and thencommunicating this to families. The Council may wish to consider whether adecision checklist and standard decision letter format may be helpful toofficers making decisions and to those reviewing decisions or consideringcomplaints.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 005 979)

    Category: Education Date: 31-Jan-2025

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council failed to secure the special educational provision in her child, W’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council was at fault, which meant W missed out on one and a half terms of provision they should have had. The fault also caused Mrs X avoidable upset. To remedy her and W’s injustice, the Council will apologise to Mrs X, pay her a total £1500 and review the systems it has to monitor consultations with educational providers.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review the systems it has in place for monitoring consultations with education and tuition providers to ensure they are sent and followed up without delay.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 005 751)

    Category: Education Date: 28-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council failed to secure the special educational provision in her daughter, W’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan after W struggled to attend school. The Council was at fault, but we cannot say it meant W missed out provision she should have had. The Council was at fault for delay in reviewing and amending W’s EHC Plan. That fault caused Ms X avoidable frustration, meant W missed out on some special educational provision and delayed W receiving free school transport. To remedy their injustice, the Council will apologise to Ms X, pay her £450 and issue a reminder to staff.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff that when a child or young person is out of education and the annual review of their Education, Health and Care Plan is delayed, they must consider if the Council needs to arrange the special educational provision in the child or young person's Plan in the meantime, and keep suitable records of that decision.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 005 369)

    Category: Housing Date: 28-Feb-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complains that the Council delayed in referring her to another council for housing and transferred her to unsuitable temporary accommodation. The Council was at fault as it delayed in referring Miss X to some councils for a reciprocal agreement for housing, failed to tell Miss X about the action it was taking and did not carry out a suitability assessment of her current temporary accommodation when Miss X indicated it was unsuitable. These faults caused uncertainty to Miss X which the Council has agreed to remedy by apologising and making a symbolic payment of £400 to her.

    Service improvements

    By training or other means, remind officers that they should promptly review an applicants’ housing options following a council’s failure to respond to, or refusal to accept, a Section 213 reciprocal agreement to determine if the council should approach other councils.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 004 548)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 23-Jul-2024

    Summary

    The Council took too long to notify Mrs B that her son’s Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan would cease. It did not properly arrange his transition to adult social care in accordance with the law and guidance. The Council failed to maintain the EHC Plan while Mrs B’s appeal against the decision was outstanding. It took too long to assess his social care needs and to arrange care. The Council caused significant distress, uncertainty and frustration to Mrs B and her son. Mrs B’s son missed out on the educational provision set out in the EHC Plan. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice it caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council will ensure a copy of our final decision is considered by the Children’s Policy Development & Scrutiny committee and Portfolio Holder and share a copy of our final decision with all relevant staff, to include dealing with ceasing EHC Plans and transition from EHC Plans to Adult Social Care.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 004 058)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 24-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Mrs J complained the Council has not taken effective action to ensure her landlord addresses disrepair in her home. The Council was at fault, because it cannot show it has made robust, evidence-based decisions, and has not escalated its action in response to the landlord’s failure to comply. The Council has agreed to formally apologise to Mrs J and offer her a financial remedy, as well as issuing guidance to relevant staff on the importance of keeping detailed records.

    Service improvements

    Within one month of the date of my final decision, the Council has agreed to circulate guidance to staff in its housing enforcement team, to remind them of the importance of keeping detailed notes, particularly around inspections and decisions whether to take enforcement action.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 002 318)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 29-Sep-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complains the Council failed to follow its own procedures and statutory responsibilities in relation to the care of his grandson. Mr X says this caused him and his family distress. We have found fault in the actions of the Council for failing to follow the Children’s Statutory Complaint procedure and recommend the Council completes the process.

    Service improvements

    Review how the Council will ensure that it tells complainants of their stage three rights at the end of stage two and remind complaint handling staff that complainants have the right to request a stage three review panel if they remain unhappy.

  • London Borough of Bromley (24 001 796)

    Category: Education Date: 04-Nov-2024

    Summary

    Ms X complained about the Council’s decision to suspend her child, Y, from school transport. The Council accepts it should not have suspended Y and failed to consult Ms X. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Ms X and train its staff to prevent a recurrence of its mistake.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to provide the Ombudsman with evidence of the training it has delivered to its Spedical Educational Needs (SEN) Transport Team to ensure it follows its processes when considering any suspensions from its SEN transport in future.

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