Service improvements

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

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 11 - 20 of 24 cases with service improvements

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

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 018 779)

    Category: Education Date: 26-Feb-2025

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about the Council’s failure to provide support for her child’s special educational needs and its handling of the Education, Health and Care Plan process. We found the Council was at fault because it took too long to issue two amended plans. This created uncertainty for Mrs X. To remedy this injustice, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Mrs X. It should also take action to improve it processes.

    Service improvements

    The Council will take action to ensure procedures are in place to ensure annual reviews are held at the correct time and amended EHC Plans are issued within 12 weeks from the date of the annual review.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 017 744)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 26-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Mrs Y complained about the way the Council dealt with a blue badge application. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision. However, we found fault with the way the Council communicated the outcome of her appeal. This caused uncertainty to Mrs Y and the Council agreed to apologise for this.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to complete a review of the standard letters used by council officers when reviewing blue badge appeals and amend the standard wording to ensure that they are all clear, accurate and complete.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 015 732)

    Category: Other Categories Date: 28-Aug-2024

    Summary

    Mrs B says the Council wrongly excluded her son from a weekly club without considering his special educational needs and delayed considering her complaint. The Council failed to have in place a behavioural policy and risk assessment and allowed the situation to drift. The Council delayed responding to the complaint. An apology, payment to Mrs B, introduction of a behavioural policy and a process for recording a child’s special educational needs, alongside training, is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff members working in its youth clubs to ensure notes are kept of meetings with parents, particularly where follow-up actions are agreed.The Council will remind officers dealing with complaints of the need to ensure the timescales set out in the Council’s complaints procedure are adhered to and that complainants are kept up to date when any delays occur.The Council will introduce a formal behavioural policy or review the existing risk assessment to include behavioural issues, how they will be managed, the options available and the means of challenging any decisions to exclude children for a period of time. When that is introduced the Council should carry out a training session for those working with young people in its youth centres.The Council will introduce a process to ensure the needs of children with special educational needs who access the Council’s youth services are recorded and to ensure a record is made of any reasonable adjustments required.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 015 396)

    Category: Housing Date: 07-Aug-2024

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for failing to recognise Ms X was homeless when she approached from a refuge. It took too long to accept the main housing duty. Ms X spent 13 weeks too long in unsuitable Bed and Breakfast. The Council communicated poorly and took five months to respond to Ms X’s complaint. These faults caused Ms X significant injustice which the Council has agreed to remedy by apologising, making payments to Ms X, and acting to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff that refuge accommodation is not reasonable to continueto occupy beyond the short term and that therefore people living in refuges arehomeless for the purposes of part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.The Council has agreed to ensure any changes in allocated housing officer are communicated to theapplicant promptly, including contact details for the new officer.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 013 246)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 24-Apr-2024

    Summary

    Mr C complained the Council delayed providing him with a new recycling bin after his was stolen and he had to repeatedly chase it for responses about the matter. We find the Council was at fault as it delayed providing Mr C with a replacement recycling bin and it delayed responding to his communication about the matter. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share the final decision with staff dealing with bin requests to highlight the need to properly communicate with service users and keep them informed of reasons for any delays.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 012 966)

    Category: Housing Date: 30-Apr-2024

    Summary

    The Council’s delay progressing a statutory homelessness review it agreed to complete as a remedy to a previous complaint to us was fault. The review found that Ms X’s accommodation was unsuitable. The Council has already identified a suitable remedy for the injustice this caused Ms X. The Council has also agreed to apologise, make payments to Ms X and Mr Y and act to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to identify and implement a way of ensuring the actions agreed in an Ombudsman investigation are progressed promptly following a final decision.The Council has agreed to ensure the Council tells the Ombudsman in response to draft decisions if it will not be able to complete any recommended actions within the suggested timeframe.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 012 109)

    Category: Housing Date: 27-Feb-2025

    Summary

    Mr C complained about how the Council dealt with his housing and adult social care support, and his reports of anti-social behaviour since 2022. We found the Council at fault for causing delays in assessing his care and support needs in 2023, which caused him an injustice. The Council should apologise and make payment to Mr C to acknowledge the injustice this caused him. There was no fault on other parts of Mr C’s complaint, or we exercised our general discretion not to investigate these as he has accepted an out of court settlement agreement with the Council which has remedied the injustice he experienced.

    Service improvements

    The Council will arrange for its Adult Social Care team to review this case to establish how it can prevent delays in the Adult Social Care assessment process such as: 1.considering reasonable adjustments in its triage process and ensuring its staff are familiar with any adjustments which has been agreed; 2.avoiding unnecessary delays to allocate social workers; and 3.avoiding unnecessary delays when it intends to quality review assessments or seek legal advice: and 4.updating policies and procedures as relevant and provide training to staff in its Adult Social Care to ensure existing and amended policies and processes are clear and followed without unnecessary delay

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 010 172)

    Category: Transport and highways Date: 07-Jan-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of his reports of vehicles parked across a dropped kerb next to the disabled parking bay at his address. Mr X says the vehicles blocked his access to the street and prevented him from using his car. Mr X also complained about the Council’s handling of his complaints. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and financial remedy to Mr X, provide training to its staff and to review its Member’s Enquiry policy.

    Service improvements

    Remind staff:•the Council’s website states parking in front of a dropped kerb for a footway is not allowed at any time•the London Councils Code of Practice on Civil Parking Enforcement says vehicles identified as persistent evaders that are not parked in a parking place, may be removed immediately after the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice•the Council’s complaints policy states officers should offer assistance to anyone who might have difficulties in writing their complaint, and that complaints can be submitted by webform, email, telephone or by letter•of the importance of keeping proper and appropriate records, including details of contacts from other professional bodiesShare this decision with Members and remind Members and Council staff of the Council’s duty to consider reasonable adjustments when people with disabilities request adjustments to enable them to access services.Remind Members of the need to include the resident’s consent in the initial contact when making a Member’s Enquiry.Review the Member’s Enquiry policy with regard to the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty, to include details of how service users can request reasonable adjustments, and how the Council will consider these requests.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 008 946)

    Category: Planning Date: 20-Feb-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to properly store important information about a planning agreement with his landlord. This led to an avoidable delay in providing this information. Further, Mr X complained about the Council’s communication and its failure to consider and implement requested reasonable adjustments. He also complained the Council failed to meet its complaint timescales, failed to properly record his complaints, and failed to fully address the complaints he made. We have found the Council at fault for its communication with Mr X and for failing to have due regard to his requested reasonable adjustments. We have also found the Council at fault for its complaint handling and for examples of poor administrative practice. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay a symbolic financial remedy, and provide guidance to staff.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation with relevant officers, along with a copy of the Ombudsman's focus report Equal access: Getting it right for people with disabilities. This is to provide officers with wider examples of faults and good practice concerning reasonable adjustments in service delivery and complaints handling.

  • London Borough of Tower Hamlets (23 008 184)

    Category: Housing Date: 27-May-2024

    Summary

    Ms B complained about delay by the Council in awarding her keyworker priority status on the housing register. We found fault with the Council’s actions which meant Ms B missed out on bidding for more suitable properties. The Council offered to pay Ms B £500 for the uncertainty. It also agreed to find Ms B alternative permanent accommodation within the next three months (on condition she starts bidding for suitable properties) or pay her a further £500 and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure:it is able to respond to changes in circumstance which may affect an applicant’s housing priority within eight weeks; andit provides written notification if it is suspending a person from the housing register giving clear reasons why and a right of review.

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