Service improvements

London Borough of Lambeth

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023

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 19 cases with service improvements

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

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 013 056)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 27-Feb-2023

    Summary

    Miss X complains the Council has not properly delivered her refuse collection service. The Council is at fault because it did not change her assisted collection service to her new address and failed to collect her refuse after it did. Miss X suffered avoidable distress and had to continue complaining about missed refuse collections. The Council has agreed to pay Miss X £250 for avoidable distress, £100 for her time and trouble, monitor service delivery and report to the Ombudsman about service improvements.

    Service improvements

    Investigate why its service failure continued after its complaint response acknowledging fault and provide a report to the Ombudsman detailing the outcomes, together with any service improvement actions it proposes to take.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 008 234)

    Category: Education Date: 10-Mar-2023

    Summary

    The Council avoidably delayed producing an Education Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) for Mr X’s child, Z. Its communication and complaint handling was also poor in this case. These faults caused frustration and uncertainty to Mr X and Z. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay Mr X £300 and carry out several service improvements to recognise the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to demonstrate that it has reminded Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) staff of the deadlines around Education Health and Care needs assessments and issuing draft and final Education Health and Care Plans.The Council's communication and complaint handling was poor when considering an Education Health and Care Plan. The Council has agreed to show its complaint handling team this case and remind complaint handling staff that their complaint responses should assess what has gone wrong, explain what has gone wrong to complainants and seek to remedy any injustice caused by the Council where possible.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 006 830)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 22-Dec-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council does not return her communal bin to the collection point and she is unable to collect it. She also complained the Council has not been collecting her recycling bin. Mrs X says this has caused distress and she is unable to move the bin herself. There was fault in the way the Council has failed to consider its responsibilities under the equality act to support Mrs X. The Council has agreed to pay £150 to Mrs X and consider its responsibilities under the equality act to make reasonable adjustments.

    Service improvements

    Prepare a briefing for relevant staff on the Equality Act, the public sector equality duty, and the need to consider and make reasonable adjustments.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 001 497)

    Category: Housing Date: 08-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to assist her with her homelessness. The Council was at fault for not recording how it considered whether previous domestic abuse made her vulnerable. This did not cause Miss X an injustice because she had the right to ask the Council to review its decision that she was not in priority need.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to consider whether previous domestic abuse means a housing applicant is vulnerable, and record how it has considered this.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 000 866)

    Category: Housing Date: 08-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s delays and failure to resolve all the disrepair issues at her temporary accommodation. She also complained the Council wrongfully charged her for electricity used in the communal area of the property. The Council was at fault with how it dealt with Miss X’s concerns. This caused Miss X distress, frustration, financial loss, time and trouble. Miss X and her family also remained in an unsuitable accommodation for longer than necessary. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to ensure its managing agents have arrangements in place for individual billing of utilities when placing residents in temporary accommodation with communal areas.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 000 662)

    Category: Housing Date: 29-Nov-2022

    Summary

    We found fault with the way the Council responded when Ms X reported she was at risk of domestic abuse in her temporary accommodation. We did not find fault with the way the Council applied its allocation scheme to Ms X’s housing application. The Council agreed actions to remedy the injustice to Ms X.

    Service improvements

    • Present this case to the relevant committee to consider how the service failure in relation to supply of temporary accommodation can be addressed

  • London Borough of Lambeth (22 000 354)

    Category: Housing Date: 13-Oct-2022

    Summary

    Miss B complained that the Council failed to offer her suitable alternative accommodation since April 2021, failed to properly consider her housing needs and whether she is homeless. This has caused, and continues to cause, Miss B significant distress as she is living with five children in a two bedroom flat with no lift and she cannot always manage the stairs. We found the Council failed to consider her case properly and gave her incomplete advice about possible homelessness. The Council has agreed to take action to reconsider Miss B’s case, pay her £200 and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to ensure it notifies applicants of the right to request a review of decisions made about the allocations scheme.The Council has agreed to ensure all housing staff are aware of the need to provide complete and accurate advice about homelessness, including the requirement to take a homeless application where they have reason to believe a person may be homeless.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (21 016 956)

    Category: Other Categories Date: 27-Feb-2023

    Summary

    X complained about the way the Council made its decision not to complete a grant funding contract for the provision of services. X says the Council’s decision-making process was flawed and it should withdraw the decision. We have found fault with the Council in failing to act with transparency and openness in the period from August to December 2020, causing X injustice and in failing to keep a proper record. We do not consider these faults affected the overall decision. The Council has agreed to apologise to X, as a suitable way to remedy the injustice, and make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council should review its procedures for maintaining records of its executive key decisions and non-key decisions.The Council should review its guidance to officers and councillors about the requirement to have regard to the principle of transparency and openness in the decision-making process and its communications with parties affected by proposed decisions.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (21 016 908)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 27-Sep-2022

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to carry out the recommendations it identified during its response to her complaint about the way the Council handled the adoption of her child. There was fault in how the Council considered and implemented the recommendation and how it explained contact arrangements to Miss X. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss X and pay her £500 to recognise the injustice caused to her, and implement the service improvements necessary.

    Service improvements

    The Council will develop its policies and procedure to ensure decisions about the participation of birth parents in adoption reviews are discussed between the social worker and independent reviewing officer are clearly documented in the care records, and birth parents are informed of those decisions.The Council will develop its policies and procedure to ensure independent reviewing officers record contact with the children's guardian in children's case records during adoption processes.The Council will develop its policies and procedure to ensure birth parents understand the reason why their child's name may be changed during the adoption process.The Council will develop its policies and procedure to implement guidance for birth parents about who will keep them updated during the adoption process, and in what circumstances.The Council will develop its policies and procedure to ensure its children's complaints procedure is in line with the guidance. It will ensure all reasonable steps are taken to locate and interview named practitioners during complaint investigations. It will ensure its adjudication letters follows the guidance 'Getting the Best from Complaints', and clearly documents its reasoning if it deviates from the guidance. It will ensure the adjudicating officer maintains oversight of complaints until the actions and recommendations are completed.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (21 014 560)

    Category: Education Date: 04-Jan-2023

    Summary

    Miss Y complained about the Council’s failure to make educational provision for her son, W, once it became aware that he was unable to attend school. She also complained about delays in the Council’s assessment of W’s Special Educational Needs (SEN). We find the Council failed in its statutory duty to make suitable provision available for W. The Council will pay £2,350 to W in recognition of the missed provision, £2,900 to Miss Y for the provision she funded and £500 in recognition of her distress, time and trouble. The Council will also undertake the service improvements we have recommended.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant officers of the Council’s statutory duties under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, specifically regarding the requirement to assist pupils with long-term non-attendance irrespective of whether they remain on a school roll. This could be in the form of a briefing paper or staff training.Remind relevant officers of the Council’s statutory duties under Regulation 13 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. This could be in the form of a briefing paper or staff training.

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