Service improvements

London Borough of Merton

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2027

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 11 - 20 of 20 cases with service improvements

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

  • London Borough of Merton (22 015 497)

    Category: Housing Date: 03-Sep-2023

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council misrepresented, and failed to pass on, vital information about a tenant it introduced to her under its private landlord scheme. The Council is at fault for failing to keep notes of its involvement in the tenancy arrangement. This did not cause an injustice to Ms X but the Council will take action to prevent reoccurrence.

    Service improvements

    The Council will change its procedure to ensure it keeps records for its involvement in setting up tenancies under its private landlord scheme.

  • London Borough of Merton (22 014 785)

    Category: Planning Date: 30-Oct-2023

    Summary

    Mr X and Mrs Y complain the Council failed to carry out a full assessment about overlooking and privacy issues with new neighbouring flats. We find fault with the Council for delay in completing the investigation and the complaint response, and poor communication. This caused frustration and distress to Mr X and Mrs Y, and we have agreed remedies for the injustice.

    Service improvements

    Within three months the Council should advise what it has done to ensure the errors made in the planning application process do not occur in the future, and remind relevant staff about the timescales for its complaint procedure.

  • London Borough of Merton (22 011 478)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 02-May-2023

    Summary

    We will not investigate Ms B’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to undertake a carers assessment under the Care Act 2014. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault with the actions taken by the Council to warrant an Ombudsman investigation.

    Service improvements

    Using this complaint as a case study issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware of:The working together to safeguard children 2018 guidance which states councils should draw together relevant information gathered from the child and their family and from other relevant sources when completing parent carers assessments.

  • London Borough of Merton (21 015 621)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 06-Jul-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complains about how the Council handled his noise complaint. I have concluded my investigation having found fault in how the Council handled Mr X’s noise complaint. There were unreasonable delays throughout the process, and this caused an injustice to Mr X. The Council have agreed to the recommendations proposed.

    Service improvements

    Explain what it will do to prevent staff absence preventing the download and review of noise data.

  • London Borough of Merton (21 005 278)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 27-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Miss J complains about how the Council has dealt with her council tax support award. She says the amount it paid her was wrong. And it confused matters by changing an earlier discretionary decision to write off an overpayment. The Ombudsman’s decision is we will not look at whether the amount of council tax support was correct, as Miss J can appeal that issue. But we have upheld the complaint, as the Council’s administrative error led it to errors on Miss J’s council tax support account, that it then took some time to rectify.

    Service improvements

    The Council has written a new procedure in response to the complaint. This sets out what to do on its housing benefits administration system when there are multiple changes of universal credit.

  • London Borough of Merton (21 004 099)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 07-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about the support and actions of the Council in relation to a child in need who lived with them. She also complained that reports the Council wrote for the courts were flawed and contained false allegations about her. We found the Council was at fault for not considering the complaint through the statutory children’s complaints process.

    Service improvements

    Use this case as an example, to ensure staff dealing with complaints are aware of the circumstances when the statutory complaints process should be used for children’s social care services complaints.

  • London Borough of Merton (21 002 909)

    Category: Planning Date: 21-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to take action when he reported his landlord had erected a temporary structure in front of his property without planning permission. Mr X further complained about the way the Council handled his complaint about the matter. There was no fault in how the Council responded to Mr X’s report against his landlord. There was fault in the way the Council communicated with Mr X about the matter which the Council has agreed to apologise for.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide evidence of the improvements it states it has made in complaint acknowledgement, tracking and response as a result of a complaint about a planning enforcement matter.

  • London Borough of Merton (20 013 681)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 27-Oct-2021

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained the Council delayed in how it responded to their request for financial support as adoptive parents. We find the Council was at fault. That has caused Mr and Mrs X avoidable distress and frustration. The Council has offered a financial remedy and to review its guidance on adoption allowances. We are satisfied this remedies the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to review its Guidance on Adoption Allowances and Support to ensure it is clear on the financial support that is available and when.The Council agreed to brief relevant staff including those in the Adoption Agency of the procedure for requesting financial support.The Council agreed to remind all staff on the complaints team that any complaint about a child or any children’s services must be reviewed to ensure the correct procedure is followed.

  • London Borough of Merton (20 007 386)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 10-Aug-2021

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council moved her aunt, Ms Y, into a residential home without notifying her or her husband Mr X. Mrs X further complained that when Ms Y later died in hospital, the Council again failed to inform her family. Mrs X said because of this she and Mr X lost the chance to say goodbye to Ms Y or help with her funeral arrangements, which caused them significant distress and upset. There was fault when the Council failed to notify Mr and Mrs X after Ms Y moved into residential care and did not follow the correct process when it cleared Ms Y’s home of its contents. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and remind its staff of the importance of the contacting next of kin when a service user is moved into residential care. This is a satisfactory resolution which addresses the fault identified.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind staff of the importance of notifying next of kin when a person is moved into residential care.

  • London Borough of Merton (20 004 448)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 29-Jun-2021

    Summary

    Ms X complains the Council failed to assess her father’s (Mr Y’s) needs properly, failed to identify an indicative personal budget or agree a final budget. The Council failed to meet Mr Y’s needs after his capital fell below £23,250 and failed to assess the risk to him from moving to another care home. This left him paying for his own care when the Council should have been helping to fund it. It should refund Mr Y, apologise to his daughter and pay her financial recompense.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to identify the action it needs to take to make sure it: a) does a person-centred risk assessment before deciding someone’s needs can be met at another care home; b) provides people with indicative personal budgets; c) responds to requests for information about third-party top-ups for care home fees; d) does not delay in sending people a care and support plan.

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