Staffordshire County Council (19 014 861)

Statement Upheld School transport 19-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains of fault in the way the Council decided not to offer free home-to-school transport for her son, Z, causing him to miss out on this. There was fault by the Council because an officer who assessed the route’s safety sat on the panel hearing Mrs X’s appeal. She has avoidable uncertainty whether a panel acting without fault would have upheld her appeal. The Council will arrange a fresh appeal heard by a panel with no previous involvement in assessing the route or deciding her application or appeal.

Surrey County Council (19 012 716)

Statement Upheld School transport 17-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to transport her son, Y, to school safely, delayed Y’s assessment, which was flawed, and failed to repay her costs. The Ombudsman found fault causing injustice when the Council delayed carrying out an assessment and allowed unsuitable transport to continue, putting Y's safety at risk.

Surrey County Council (19 018 548)

Statement Not upheld School transport 17-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman finds no evidence of fault with the Council’s decision to refuse Mrs C’s son free school transport.

Surrey County Council (20 001 660)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 13-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman has decided not to investigate Mrs J’s complaint about the transport appeal for her son, S, who has SEN, because the Council has agreed to arrange a new appeal.

London Borough of Haringey (18 019 846)

Statement Upheld School transport 12-Aug-2020

Summary: There was fault in the Council’s decision to change the pick-up point for Miss B’s son’s school transport. There was also fault in how the Council considered her requests for reconsideration and her complaints. The changed arrangements meant she had to make alternative arrangements to get her son and other child to school. This was time-consuming and expensive. The Council will apologise to Miss B and make a payment to her.

Lancashire County Council (20 001 511)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 11-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman should not investigate Mr J’s complaint about an incident relating to his son’s home to school transport. This is because the injustice arising from the incident complained of was not significant, and it is unlikely further investigation would lead to a different outcome.

Bracknell Forest Council (19 017 444)

Statement Upheld School transport 11-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman has discontinued his investigation into Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide school transport for her son. The Council offered to pay Mrs X £500 to cover the costs of school transport which has resolved the outstanding issue and no further action by the Ombudsman is needed.

Coventry City Council (19 008 896)

Report Upheld School transport 10-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council refused his application for home to school transport for his daughter.

Redcar & Cleveland Council (19 006 817)

Statement Upheld School transport 10-Aug-2020

Summary: Ms X complained to the Council following an incident relating to her son, F, in May 2019. She said the Council poorly managed both her complaint and her appeal against F’s home to school transport arrangements. The Council was at fault. The complaint investigation was delayed and flawed. It did not follow its school transport appeal process and delayed convening an independent panel to consider Ms X’s appeal. It meant F had unsuitable transport arrangements in place between May and October 2019. The Council agreed to pay Ms X £4210.65 to remedy the unnecessary mileage costs incurred by taking F to and from school during this period. The Council also agreed to pay Ms X a total of £1660 to recognise the distress, uncertainty, significant time and trouble and inconvenience caused by needing to take F to and from school and for its poor handling of her complaint.

Staffordshire County Council (18 011 727)

Statement Upheld School transport 06-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs Y and her husband, Mr P, complained the Council failed to properly consider the individual circumstances of Mrs Y’s disabled son D in 2018 in a request for home to school transport to his sixth form. The Council was at fault in its consideration of D’s application which caused D and his family upset, frustration and inconvenience. It also led to D being unable to attend and receive provision at his special school for part of the school year. The Council has now agreed to several actions, including a financial payment, to remedy the injustice caused to D and his family.