Buckinghamshire Council (20 010 415)

Statement Upheld School transport 20-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs B complained the Council did not provide suitable school transport for her daughter and she missed education. Mrs B also complained the Council used a shoulder strap connector when transporting her daughter which caused her distress. We found fault with the Council for a delay in its complaint handling. However, this delay did not cause Mrs B significant injustice.

London Borough of Bromley (21 007 723)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 20-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about school transport and a period when her child was out of school. There is unlikely to be sufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (21 000 351)

Statement Not upheld School transport 18-Oct-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs P complain the Council refused to provide school transport for their daughter, G. There is no fault in the transport appeal panel’s decision the Council should contribute to the cost of G’s school transport. The Ombudsman cannot question decisions taken without fault.

Northamptonshire County Council (20 001 023)

Statement Upheld School transport 11-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs B complains that the Council did not properly consider her application for school transport for her son D, who has Special Educational Needs. The Ombudsman has found fault in the way the Council considered D’s application. The Council has already exercised discretion to provide transport from the start of the calendar year. It has also agreed to the Ombudsman’s recommendation that it reimburse Mrs B’s transport costs for D from the start of the school year, amend its policy and remind officers of the correct test for deciding whether to provide transport.

Shropshire Council (20 006 467)

Statement Upheld School transport 11-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs B complains that the Council did not properly assess the risk of her son travelling without a passenger assistant when providing transport for him to his new school. The Ombudsman has found no fault in the way the Council considered the transport provision for Mrs B’s son apart from the fact that it did not offer her the chance to make verbal representations to the appeal panel. However, on the balance of probability, we do not consider that this is likely to have affected its decision not to provide a passenger assistant.

Lancashire County Council (21 000 743)

Statement Upheld School transport 07-Oct-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault by the Council on Mr F’s complaint about the way it dealt with his appeal against the decision not to provide his son with free home to school transport. This is because it failed to: clearly set out and comply with the statutory guidance requirements about the two-stage appeal process; allow him to verbally present submissions; consider if the nearest school had available places; consider the need to support parental faith school choices; explain the decision. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

Plymouth City Council (21 006 893)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 07-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to not provide school transport for Mrs X’s son. This is because there is no evidence of fault by the Council in the way it made its decision.

Cambridgeshire County Council (20 013 931)

Statement Upheld School transport 06-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs A complains the Council refused to backdate school transport payments despite her appeal being upheld. Mrs A says this has caused her son to miss out on transport payments he should have received. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for not backdating school transport costs for Child X. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for delaying its initial decision to deny an extension to the payments. This has caused Mrs A to incur costs and has caused Mrs A significant distress. The Council has agreed to apologise and backdate the transport payments.

East Sussex County Council (21 006 608)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 06-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint the Council was wrong to refuse her application for home to school transport. It is unlikely we would find fault.

Nottinghamshire County Council (21 006 191)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 04-Oct-2021

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 there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.