Wokingham Borough Council (19 010 377)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 22-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to provide home to school transport for her child. She has appealed this decision to a Tribunal. And we cannot investigate issues a Tribunal is deciding.

London Borough of Hillingdon (19 010 153)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 19-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide her son with free transport to school. This is because the Council has now agreed to her request. An investigation by the Ombudsman could not achieve anything more for Mrs X.

Wokingham Borough Council (19 002 507)

Statement Upheld School transport 18-Nov-2019

Summary: Mr W complained after the Council refused to provide school transport for his son. He said it failed to consider the safety of the walking route between his home address and his children’s school. He said the Council’s suggested route includes crossing a road with no safe crossing point. He said the Council did not provide him with information about how it assesses safety of walking routes until after the first stage panel considered his appeal. The Ombudsman found the Council was at fault.

Worcestershire County Council (18 001 482)

Statement Upheld School transport 14-Nov-2019

Summary: the Council has not properly considered Ms M’s application for school transport for her son, B. The Council has not taken account of all relevant information and has not provided Ms M with a suitable appeal.

Derby City Council (18 007 001)

Statement Upheld School transport 14-Nov-2019

Summary: The complaint concerns the Council not providing transport to an apprenticeship for Mr C, who has special educational needs. The Council was at fault for not properly considering whether it had a social care duty to arrange transport. This leaves Mr C and his mother with avoidable uncertainty about whether the difficulty they experienced arranging transport might have been lessened or avoided. At my recommendation, the Council agreed to apologise, pay Mr C and his mother £200 each and review what happened here.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 003 791)

Statement Upheld School transport 12-Nov-2019

Summary: Mrs B complains about the Council’s refusal of home to school transport assistance for her disabled son. The Ombudsman finds the appeal process followed by the Council was not in line with statutory guidance. Mrs B did not have the opportunity to make her representations to an independent appeal panel in person. The Council has agreed to arrange an independent appeal panel hearing
for Mrs B and to make a payment to her to acknowledge the time and trouble she has been put to. That will provide a satisfactory remedy for the complaint.

Staffordshire County Council (19 009 589)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 12-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint that the Council was at fault in refusing her application for education transport for her son. This is because the Council upheld Mrs A’s appeal against the decision and investigation would achieve nothing further.

Devon County Council (19 009 656)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 12-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint that the Council was at fault in refusing her application for school transport for her son. This is because it would be reasonable for her to use the appeal process available to her.

Kent County Council (19 010 414)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 12-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms A’s complaint that the Council has refused her application and appeal for free school transport for her sons. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Suffolk County Council (19 009 125)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 09-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint that the Council refused her application and appeal for school transport for her daughter. The Council has reviewed its decision and investigation by the Ombudsman would achieve nothing further.