London Borough of Enfield (25 008 233)
Category : Environment and regulation > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 12 Oct 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a Fixed Penalty Notice as we could not achieve more than what the Council is doing.
The complaint
- Mr X complains about the Council’s decision to issue his business with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for incorrectly disposing of controlled waste.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X’s business was issued with an FPN for the incorrect disposal of medical waste. Mr X paid the FPN and tried to complete an online submission which the Council said was not fully completed.
- The Council has told the Ombudsman that it has decided to reimburse Mr X for the FPN and will write to him to give him the opportunity to make a submission against the FPN.
- I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because doing so would not lead to a different outcome.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we could not achieve more than what the Council is doing.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman