Service improvements

London Borough of Enfield

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for London Borough of Enfield as a CSV file.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 008 541)

    Category: Education Date: 17-Dec-2025

    Summary

    The Ombudsman completed an investigation into the Council handling of education transport. We asked the Council questions about the widespread impact of its policy. The Council was at fault. Its policy does not detail a parent must agree to a personal transport budget. The Council agreed to amend its policy and factsheet to confirm a parent must agree to any alternative arrangements for education transport.

    Service improvements

    •Rewrite the factsheets to make it clear a personal travel budget is available if the parent agrees.•Rewrite the policy to make it clear a personal travel budget is available if the parent agrees.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 004 523)

    Category: Education Date: 08-Dec-2025

    Summary

    There was fault in the way the Council considered an application for home to school transport made on the grounds of special educational needs and disability. The Council delayed carrying out an individual assessment of the child’s ability to walk the distance required, wrongly relying on an expectation the parent drive the child. As a result, transport support was delayed, causing distress, inconvenience and expense to the parent. The Council has agreed to refund Ms X’s mileage, make a symbolic payment for the distress and inconvenience caused and make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff and panel members who make decisions on school transport applications of the importance of clearly setting out their reasons and what they have considered, making sure they have addressed all elements of law, policy and statutory guidance relevant to the individual application. The Council may wish to consider the use of pre-populated forms, prompts or checklists to assist officers.The Council will ensure it carries out individual assessments of need where an application is made on SEN/disability grounds at the time the application is received and not rely solely on information in EHC Plans.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 002 515)

    Category: Education Date: 07-Jan-2026

    Summary

    There was fault by the Council, because it cannot show it properly followed the legal process when refusing an application for school transport. The Council has agreed to write a formal letter of apology for this, and take steps to ensure its staff understand and can apply the law when making similar decisions in future.

    Service improvements

    the Council should make arrangements to ensure all relevant staff understand the practical implications of the case of Dudley and other case law concerning school transport applications, and are confident in applying it when making decisions.

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