London Borough of Bexley (18 015 847)

Statement Upheld School transport 30-May-2019

Summary: the Council’s travel assistance policy for post-16 students and its decisions to refuse Ms M’s application for Mr B’s transport and her subsequent appeals are flawed. The Council has agreed to revise its policy, apologise and make a symbolic payment to acknowledge the disruption to Mr B’s education before the Council agreed to arrange his college transport.

Slough Borough Council (18 013 623)

Statement Upheld School transport 21-May-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to consider her application and appeal for home to school transport for her son properly. The Council was at fault in the way it considered the application and appeal. Its home to school transport policy is flawed. It has agreed to arrange a fresh appeal hearing and review and revise its policy.

London Borough of Newham (18 008 981)

Statement Upheld School transport 16-May-2019

Summary: Mrs B complains the Council’s failure to provide suitable transport to school for her son, who has special educational needs, meant he was out of education for an extended period in 2018. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council in this matter, leading to injustice for which a remedy has been agreed.

Hampshire County Council (18 014 014)

Statement Not upheld School transport 14-May-2019

Summary: There is no fault in relation to this complaint that a school transport appeals panel failed to properly consider Mr F’s appeal against a decision by Hampshire County Council to withdraw home to school transport.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (18 016 427)

Statement Not upheld School transport 14-May-2019

Summary: Ms K complains the Council failed to properly consider her school transport appeal. The Ombudsman considers there is no fault by the Council or the appeal panel.

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council (18 019 703)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 13-May-2019

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council refuses to change the travel arrangements for her son’s transport to school. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint as we have not seen any evidence of fault in the Council’s actions.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (18 019 720)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 13-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr A’s complaint about the Council’s response to his request for school transport provision for his son. This is because he has taken legal action and appealed to a tribunal.

Liverpool City Council (18 019 533)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 10-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide her children with free transport to school. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council has reached its decision and so we cannot question its merits.

Birmingham City Council (17 017 296)

Report Upheld School transport 03-Apr-2019

Summary: A mother complains about the way the Council assessed her son’s eligibility for post-19 transport funding assistance. The Council did not properly consider his application and significant delay meant that she had to transport her son to college every day, unsupported.