Service improvements

London Borough of Hackney

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 - 9 of 9 cases with service improvements

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  • London Borough of Hackney (24 003 544)

    Category: Housing Date: 06-Dec-2024

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to provide appropriate support and assistance to deal with her homelessness. The Council was at fault when it failed to properly consider information Miss X provided about her relationship with her family, for not notifying Miss X it had decided she was not in priority need and for not ensuring she received its decision letters. There was no fault in the way it reached its decision Miss X’s altercation with a relative was not domestic abuse. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Miss X to acknowledge her frustration and loss of appeal rights. It has also agreed to issue a reminder to officers to prevent a repeat of the faults.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind officers of the need to communicate in writing its decision that a homelessness applicant is not in priority need, either separately or as part of the relief duty letter, if it has reached a decision at that time.The Council will remind officers to confirm contact details and correspondence addresses with homelessness applicants to ensure decision letters are received in a timely manner.

  • London Borough of Hackney (24 001 064)

    Category: Housing Date: 28-Nov-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s decision that he was not entitled to priority on its housing register on medical grounds and delay. We found the Council to be at fault. There was significant delay processing his application, in part due to a cyber-attack. To remedy the injustice to Mr X, we recommend the Council should apologise and make a payment to acknowledge his frustration.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to take action to ensure applicants are informed about expected waiting times and delay.

  • London Borough of Hackney (24 000 618)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 10-Jan-2025

    Summary

    There was no fault by the Council when it decided not to progress with a safeguarding enquiry when Mrs B fell. There was fault, however, when the Council took too long to review Mrs B’s care needs as intended, and took too long to deal with the complaint made on her behalf about this. The Council’s shortcomings caused both Mrs B and her family distress, frustration and uncertainty. It has agreed to take action to remedy this.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share this decision with relevant Adult Social Care staff and complaint handling staff and remind them of the importance of dealing with care need reviews, and complaints in good time, and the importance of good communication.

  • London Borough of Hackney (23 020 756)

    Category: Transport and highways Date: 09-Oct-2024

    Summary

    Mr X complained about how the Council monitored and enforced “school streets” traffic restrictions, which restrict vehicles entering the street during school drop-off and pick-up times. The Council failed to consider its duties under the Equality Act in how it considered the impact of its processes on blue badge holders needing to use school streets. It also provided unclear information to Mr X. Mr X and his partner were caused avoidable distress. The Council agreed to apologise, pay a financial remedy, and review its process for introducing active CCTV monitoring on school streets.

    Service improvements

    The Council has over 50 school streets, which restrict access to vehicles during school drop-off and pick-up times. Residents of school streets are automatically exempt from the restrictions. Other people who need access can apply for an exemption, including blue badge holders. The Council agreed to review its standard process for introducing active CCTV monitoring on school streets. It will:check its penalty charge warning notice template aligns with its process. It should not say it will only issue one warning per vehicle if this is not the process; where it is using warning notices as a prompt for people to apply or reapply for exemptions, ensure the template contains clear information about how to do this; and properly consider its duties under the Equality Act 2010. It should consider whether the requirement for previously approved blue badge exemption holders to apply again when it starts CCTV monitoring, is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

  • London Borough of Hackney (23 016 858)

    Category: Housing Date: 10-Oct-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to provide Ms X with interim accommodation when she first tried to flee domestic abuse. Ms X also experienced several months without hot water in her hostel accommodation due to service failure. The Council was not at fault for the restrictions the hostel placed on visitors attending the accommodation. In recognition of the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise, pay Ms X £850 and carry out service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind homelessness staff of the importance of recording the advice it gives to homeless applicants when they approach as homeless, including details of accommodation offered to people fleeing domestic abuse.The Council will remind homelessness staff that interim accommodation offered to eligible homeless applicants must be suitable, meaning if a person is fleeing domestic abuse, they must be offered accommodation where they will not be put at risk, including making a booking into a hotel if needed.The Council will remind homelessness staff of the importance, as set out in the Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities at 21.32, of being aware that the most crucial and dangerous period for victims of domestic abuse is when they first make plans to flee, and for officers to be aware of this when taking an initial homelessness application.

  • London Borough of Hackney (23 014 855)

    Category: Housing Date: 09-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Mrs X says the Council failed to move her to a suitable property despite accepting the current property is unsuitable for her family. The Council failed to consider the information Mrs X provided about the safety of the eldest child remaining in the property when awarding her banding. Consideration of whether Mrs X qualifies for emergency rehousing, payment to Mrs X and reminder to officers is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will send a reminder to officers dealing with banding decisions about the need to consider the individual circumstances of each case where band A priority is requested.

  • London Borough of Hackney (23 014 559)

    Category: Housing Date: 23-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Miss B complained about a delay in finding suitable accommodation for her and her children and the way in which it carried out medical assessment of their housing needs. We found fault in the actions of the Council and consider Miss B lived in unsuitable accommodation for 10 months longer than she should have done. The Council has agreed to pay her £2000 and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review the way its suitability procedure works to ensure written decisions are sent to applicants explaining the decision and providing a right of review where appropriate.

  • London Borough of Hackney (23 009 313)

    Category: Housing Date: 25-Apr-2024

    Summary

    There was no fault in how the Council changed Ms X’s priority date on the housing register. The Council was at fault for telling Ms X to apply for a priority she would not qualify for, overlooking a bid, and delay dealing with reviews and complaints. The Council has already remedied some of the injustice caused. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Ms X. The Council is also at fault for failing to give reasonable preference in its allocations scheme to all the groups required by the Housing Act 1996.

    Service improvements

    To remedy injustice to others who have not complained the Council has agreed to review and amend the allocations policy to ensure that all those entitled to reasonable preference under the Housing Act 1996 receive such preference under the Council’s scheme.

  • London Borough of Hackney (22 008 497)

    Category: Education Date: 09-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Miss B complained the Council delayed providing her daughter with home to school transport. We find the Council was at fault for the way it dealt with Miss B’s appeal for home to school transport. It was also at fault for how it dealt with Miss B’s complaint about the matter. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware they must process a home to school transport appeal in line with the timescales and criteria set out in the statutory guidance.

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