London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
86% Complaints upheld by London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
86% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 85% in similar authorities.
12 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for London Borough of Richmond upon Thames's population, this is
6.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
8.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 14 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 10 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
25% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
In 25% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 12% in similar authorities.
3 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 12 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Ombudsman finds multiple failures with Richmond children’s services provider
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has strongly criticised Richmond council’s children’s service provider, Achieving for Children, for not effectively supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Councils must meet their duties to home-schooled children, ombudsman says.
Local authorities must ensure they meet their duties to children being home schooled if there are any concerns about the quality of education provided, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has said.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 24 003 662
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- Demonstrate how it will ensure that officers always carry out a suitability assessment to identify the household’s needs before making a placement in interim or temporary accommodation.
- Show how it will monitor homelessness applications and set reminders of statutory deadlines e.g. 56 days.
Case reference: 23 018 891
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- Send a reminder to all staff that if the relief duty is accepted this means it has accepted the person is homeless and that this should be reflected in any decisions on the main housing duty.
- Send a reminder to staff that in cases of domestic abuse, contact with the applicant should only be made via agreed methods to avoid the risk of harm.
Case reference: 23 016 243
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- Provide training to staff who manage homelessness applications to ensure there are no unnecessary delays in completing assessments.
Case reference: 22 018 050
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Domiciliary care
- Remind staff involved with complaints that the Council is able to use discretion when considering whether to accept a complaint from a representative of a person who cannot consent.
- Develop a procedure for dealing with adult social care complaints, which should include how its complaints process interacts with those of commissioned care providers.
Case reference: 22 016 884
Category: Children's care services
Sub Category: Other
- The Council will review its procedures for disrupted foster placements to include contingency plans in case the Council is unable to find a foster placement in time.
Case reference: 22 015 631
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Allocations
- The Council to review its allocations policy and procedures for notifying applicants of its decisions on their housing applications and about their right to request a review of these decisions; and
- consider what action it can take to address its backlog of housing register assessments.
Case reference: 21 017 488
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure that when the Council decides to end a direct payment arrangement it writes to the person concerned to confirm the arrangement has ended and sets out the alternative arrangements it has put in place to ensure the adult’s eligible needs for care and support continue to be met.
Case reference: 22 008 107
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council has agreed to explain to the Ombudsman what measures it will put in place to ensure that amended Education, Health and Care Plans are issued in the required timescale following an Annual Review meeting.
- The Council has agreed to explain to the Ombudsman what measures it will put in place to ensure that it picks up on and responds to formal complaints it receives about its Special Educational Needs and Disability service.
Case reference: 21 010 908
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed that it would provide relevant staff with a briefing to learn lessons from this complaint. This was to ensure they received a reminder on the need to act promptly on receipt of a Special Educational Needs and Disability tribunal decision, to put in place the provision outlined in a final amended Education, Care and Health Plan.
Case reference: 21 010 226
Category: Education
Sub Category: COVID-19
- •Review its ‘medical provision policy’ and associated documents and ensure they are consistent with The Education Act 1996 and statutory guidance
- •Review its procedures for providing GCSE learning for children unable to attend school.
- •Review its policies and procedures to make sure it keeps sufficient oversight and control of the arrangements with Achieving for Children.
- •Provide Achieving for Children staff with training on the Council’s revised ‘medical provision policy’ and procedures for providing GCSE learning for children unable to attend school.
Last updated: 4 April 2015