Surrey County Council (21 011 993)

Statement Upheld School transport 31-Mar-2022

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s decision to decline to provide home to school transport for her child. She says her child has not been able to attend school due to the lack of transport. We find fault with the Council for not properly considering whether the cost of Ms X’s preferred school was incompatible with the efficient use of resources. We have made recommendations to remedy the injustice caused.

Birmingham City Council (21 008 018)

Statement Upheld School transport 29-Mar-2022

Summary: the Council was at fault in avoidably delaying for six months in arranging an appeal at stage 2 of the transport appeals process. This fault caused Ms B injustice in the form of frustration, uncertainty and time and trouble as she had to complain to this office to have the matter resolved. The Council will take the agreed action to recognise this injustice and to avoid repeating the same faults in future.

London Borough of Wandsworth (21 007 959)

Statement Upheld School transport 25-Mar-2022

Summary: the Council planned practical support to build G’s confidence and ensure her journey to a new school was safe and manageable for her. However, G went to a different school and the Council paid for taxis instead. The Council appears to have stopped paying for taxis without carrying out a review. Ms M wants the Council to provide long-term school transport, but the Council has not considered her request. The Council has agreed to carry out the review and consider Ms M’s request.

London Borough of Enfield (21 007 518)

Statement Upheld School transport 25-Mar-2022

Summary: Miss X complains the Council failed to properly consider her medical conditions and disabilities before it decided not to award her child school transport assistance. The Council was at fault because the panel failed to follow the appeal process in line with statutory guidance. This has caused Miss X distress, uncertainty and frustration. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.

Kent County Council (20 010 067)

Statement Upheld School transport 24-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s decision not to fund all four legs of her journeys to take her child to and from school. She also complains about the way the Council calculated the distance between home and school for Personal Transport Budgets (PTB). The Council was at fault because it did not offer free arranged school transport to Mrs X’s child before she chose to use a PTB. The Council has agreed to apologise, reimburse additional travel costs and make a payment to Mrs X for her time and trouble. The Council will also amend its PTB policy to clarify the voluntary nature of the scheme and highlight this to current PTB users.

London Borough of Brent (21 003 637)

Statement Not upheld School transport 24-Mar-2022

Summary: There was no fault by the Council in a complaint that alleged the complainant’s son missed education due to a lack of risk assessments by the Council’s special needs transport service.

London Borough of Hillingdon (21 011 741)

Statement Upheld School transport 23-Mar-2022

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s decision on her son’s school transport, resulting in distress to her son and inconvenience to her. We find the Council at fault for not following its published process, but this did not affect the Council’s decision making. We recommend the Council apologise to Ms X for not following its published appeals process and make a payment to recognise the uncertainty caused. We also recommend the Council remind staff dealing with transport appeals of the importance of following its published policy.

Leicestershire County Council (21 015 623)

Statement Upheld School transport 22-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr B complains the Council removed a fare paying school bus service without consulting parents. Mr B says he relies on the service to get his child to school. He says the Council’s decision is having a significant financial impact as he needs to take time off work to take his child to school. The Ombudsman finds fault in the Council not consulting on the change and not reviewing its position following a further exemption.

Leicestershire County Council (21 006 763)

Statement Upheld School transport 22-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs B complains the Council removed a fare paying school bus service without consulting parents. Mrs B says she relies on the service to get her child to school and is now suffering significant financial loss due to having to work reduced hours. The Ombudsman finds fault in the Council not consulting on the change and not reviewing its position following a further exemption.

Leicestershire County Council (21 006 938)

Statement Upheld School transport 22-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs B complains the Council removed a fare paying school bus service without consulting parents. Mrs B says she relies on the service to get her child to school and has now had to change her working hours. The Ombudsman finds fault in the Council not consulting on the change and not reviewing its position following a further exemption.