Bromley Council rapped by Ombudsman over complaint-handling performance

The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman has issued a firm rebuke to the London Borough of Bromley over their handling of complaints in the year to 31 March 2023. 

In a letter to the Chief Executive of Bromley Council Ade Adetosoye, the Ombudsman Nigel Ellis noted that for the second consecutive year the Borough was slow to respond to their recommendations, with 9 cases failing to be concluded within agreed timescales. The Ombudsman also lamented the speed with which the Borough responded to correspondence. 60% of their responses to the Ombudsman’s investigations were late, which the Ombudsman suggested could ‘frustrate complainants and add to the injustice [they have] already suffered.’

Official statistics published in July revealed that of the 123 complaints made, 28% focused on education, covering areas such as special needs provision and school admissions. Next highest was housing, with 26 individual complaints, followed by environmental services and highways and transport with 14 each.

Out of all complaints made to the Borough, only 3% received a satisfactory remedy before being referred to the Ombudsman for investigation – significantly below the average of 15% for similar organisations across the country.

Of the 38 complaints referred to the investigative body, 29 (76%) were upheld, consistent with the nationwide average for upheld complaints of 77%.

The Borough was however able to record a 100% compliance rate with the recommendations made, though the Ombudsman was keen to stress that anything less than a 100% implementation rate would be a ‘cause for concern’.