Luton Borough Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
69% Complaints upheld by Luton Borough Council
69% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 79% in similar authorities.
9 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Luton Borough Council's population, this is
4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.6 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 13 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 Luton Borough Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 7 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
33% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Luton Borough Council
In 33% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 13% in similar authorities.
3 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 9 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 Luton Borough Council
Luton told to fix benefits backlog by Ombudsman
Luton Borough Council is improving the way it administers benefits appeals after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found it had a backlog of cases dating back five years.
Council did not do enough to help woman abused by neighbour
A Luton woman was verbally abused and harassed by her neighbours – and her local council did not do enough when she called on it to help, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Luton to review some of its special educational needs services following Ombudsman’s investigation
Luton Borough Council has agreed to create a detailed action plan to improve some of its services for children with special educational needs after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman uncovered significant concerns during a recent investigation.
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: 23 020 528
Category: Children's care services
Sub Category: Adoption
- The Council has agreed to send us an action plan which sets out how it has fixed, or will fix, the problems it identified with its practice in its pre-adoption support service.
Case reference: 22 015 676
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Other
- Provide a report to the Ombudsman showing:a) What criteria has been used to prioritise dealing with the waiting list.b) The number of people and how long they have been on the waiting list.c) The progress that has been made in reducing the waiting list.
Case reference: 22 015 473
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Domiciliary care
- The Council has agreed to review the need for refresher training for staff responsible for safeguarding enquiries in the Adult Social Care teams to ensure they are familiar with, and follow, all the required stages in the safeguarding procedures and work within the specified timescales.Staff should be reminded of the need to communicate with the person who made the referral and ensure they are invited to case conferences and given the opportunity to discuss the outcome of the enquiry.
Case reference: 22 010 409
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Other
- The Council has agreed to consider giving people the option to opt out of receiving encryptede-mails if that is their preference.
Case reference: 22 005 635
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Direct payments
- The Council will review how requests for direct payment assessments are processed and responded to in circumstances where a contracted service provider completes the assessment and the Council’s Adult Social Care Panel makes the decision. This is to ensure a clear process where the outcome, reasons for the decision, and the steps necessary to complain about the process is shared in writing with the person who made the request, or their representative.
- The Council will remind its staff and contracted service providers about the process to follow when individuals disagree with a direct payment decision. This is to ensure complainants rights to complain about its decision are properly explained, acknowledged and responded to as set out in the Council’s Direct Payment Policy.
- The Council will remind its contracted service provider (the Community Mental Health Trust) to respond to complaints within the timescales set out in its complaint policy and inform complainants if there are delays in providing a response. This includes when attempts are being made to resolve a complaint informally.
Case reference: 22 005 300
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Residential care
- Ensure staff, residents and family at the care home are aware of visiting procedures; and that they are accessible and revised in a timely manner;
- Ensure the Care Provider has procedures in place about recording and investigating serious incidents and that staff are aware of these procedures.
Case reference: 22 001 702
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- The Council was at fault for keeping poor records in its housing department. It has agreed that it will complete an audit of internal housing record keeping and consider making improvements to its systems.
- The Council was at fault for a failure to inform the complainant of her right of review of the suitability of a property it provided for her.. It has agreed to provide training to all staff to ensure that they understand the duties owed under the interim and main housing duties.
Case reference: 21 017 081
Category: Benefits and tax
Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit
- The Council should review its outstanding discretionary housing payment overpayments and set out an action plan to reduce the delays in seeking recovery. It should also consider whether these overpayments should be recovered taking into account the Department for Work and Pensions guidance regarding discretionary housing payment recovery.
- The council should remind officers that they should consider whether the Council should seek recovery of a discretionary housing payment overpayment taking into account the discretionary housing payment guidance regarding recovery.
Case reference: 21 016 544
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Residential care
- The Council has agreed to provide evidence the Care Home has procedures in place to ensure it: a)produces an inventory when someone moves there and updates it when necessary; b)stores possessions securely after someone has left or died; c)encourages families to collect them as soon as possible; and d)does not dispose of possessions without first warning families of the intention to do so.
Case reference: 21 008 891
Category: Housing
Sub Category: Homelessness
- The Council has agreed to improve its housing services by ensuring it puts all accommodation offers in writing and provides maps where possible.
Last updated: 4 April 2015