THERE has been a sharp increase in the number of times concerns have been raised about Waltham Forest Council with the local authority regulator.

The Ombudsman received 182 complaints and enquiries from the public in the year ending March 2011.

This is a 20 per cent increase on the previous year.

A total of 99 investigations were launched and settlements between the council and the complainant were later reached in 26 cases.

Last year 24 of 82 complaints investigated by the ombudsman were later settled.

In a letter to town hall chief executive Martin Esom, ombudsman Jane Martin said the housing service received the most complaints, with repairs specifically attracting the most attention.

She also provided examples of cases which resulted in a local settlement being reached.

A council’s decision to de-register a foster carer following a complaint by a child was overturned by an independent review, but the authority refused to investigate a complaint about the original investigation.

The council eventually agreed to investigate following discussions with the ombudsman and the complaint was settled.

Another complaint saw a long delay in dealing with an unspecified child protection issue.

Confidential information was also found to have been released to a school and there was a failure to handle complaints properly.

The council later apologised and paid compensation.

A woman who had experienced lengthy delays after making a complaint about noisy neighbours is said to have given up reporting the problem.

The council had in fact issued a noise abatement notice, but failed to tell the complainant, who could have informed the authority of any breach.

The ombudsman found the council’s average response time to complaints was 21 days, within the 28 day target.

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