Tower Hamlets Council has announced plans to bring its Out of Hours Noise Service back in-house from 1 July 2025, ending its current external contract with Parkguard Ltd.
The decision, approved by the Mayor in Cabinet, means that noise complaints made outside regular working hours – from Thursday to Sunday nights – will be dealt with directly by Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs) and supported by an expanded in-house call handling service based in the Council’s CCTV Control Room.
The move will enable more direct oversight, greater flexibility in responding to residents’ needs, and long-term financial savings of £185,000 over two years and is part of a broader council commitment to improve public services by bringing them in-house where possible.
Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said:
"Bringing services back under Council control is part of our clear commitment to improving services for local people.
“By delivering the Out of Hours Noise Service in-house, we can provide a more joined-up, responsive, and high-quality service for our residents.
“It also represents better value for money and allows us to build stronger, more resilient local teams that know and care about our community."
The insourcing of the service will be supported by a wide-scale recruitment programme for the THEO team and investment in the Council’s CCTV services, ensuring full coverage and continuity.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Tower Hamlets’ Environmental Protection Team handles noise complaints during standard working hours (9am–5pm, Monday to Friday).
- The Out of Hours Noise Service addresses complaints from Thursday to Sunday between 8pm and 3:30am.
- The insourcing plan includes proactive visits for Licensing Services and monitoring of construction noise outside legal hours.
- Investment in CCTV operations will also support wider Community Safety and commercialisation initiatives.
Posted on Thursday 1st May 2025