Capacity
Councils are addressing capacity constraints in services, from mental health provision in Redbridge to fulfilling Grenfell Inquiry commitments in Kensington and Chelsea.
Mental health patients in Redbridge faced prolonged waits in Accident and Emergency departments in January 2026, according to a report to the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee. A February 2024 Care Quality Commission survey revealed areas for improvement in communication about wait times, while patient attendances had significantly increased by December 2025.
Kensington and Chelsea Council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee discussed in November 2025 potential risks in fulfilling Grenfell Tower Inquiry commitments, citing challenges in managing capacity and resources. Separately, Hackney Council's Audit & Anti-Fraud Service faced staffing and capacity challenges, including sickness and recruitment issues, impacting its ability to meet objectives in a report covering April to September 2025, leading to the recruitment of a fixed-term contract auditor.
The Audit Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met in March 2026, with capacity on its agenda, to review the external auditor's annual report for the 2024/25 financial year and the progress of an action plan in response to external recommendations. No upcoming meetings are currently scheduled to discuss this topic.
Key facts
- Mental health patients in Redbridge faced prolonged waits in A&E in January 2026. Source
- Kensington and Chelsea Council discussed capacity challenges for Grenfell Inquiry commitments in November 2025. Source
- Hackney Council's Audit & Anti-Fraud Service faced staffing and capacity challenges from April to September 2025. Source
- Hackney Council recruited a fixed-term contract auditor to address staffing issues. Source
- Patient attendances at Redbridge A&E increased significantly by December 2025. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.