School transport

Cambridgeshire County Council (19 009 586)

Statement Not upheld School transport 25-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman does not find fault with the way the Council considered Miss B's application and appeal for transport assistance for her daughter.

Wokingham Borough Council (19 010 009)

Statement Upheld School transport 23-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council did not award school transport help for his daughter. Mr B says he lives over the statutory walking distance away from the school. He says the Council uses two different mapping systems, which produce two different distances. The Ombudsman finds fault in how the Council considered Mr B's appeal. We also find fault in the information the Council provides about how it measures distance.

Hartlepool Borough Council (19 012 283)

Statement Upheld School transport 20-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council ended the school bus provision to her children's school without consultation. The Council failed to inform parents of the changes, but this did not affect its decision to end the transport. It has agreed to apologise to Mrs X for the frustration this caused and to amend its procedures to ensure in future parents are consulted in a timely manner.

Wokingham Borough Council (19 007 795)

Statement Upheld School transport 16-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs B complains there was fault in the Council's consideration of a school transport appeal. The Ombudsman finds there is fault, but the Council has agreed an appropriate remedy.

North Yorkshire County Council (19 012 903)

Statement Upheld School transport 13-Mar-2020

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council's decision to refuse to provide free home to school transport for her son, Z. The Council did not correctly follow its school transport appeal policy at stage one. However, this did not cause Miss X significant injustice as she was able to make her case to the stage two appeal committee which correctly considered her evidence and decided not to uphold her appeal. The Council has agreed to carry out actions to prevent injustice to others that could be caused by the identified fault.

Kent County Council (19 010 995)

Statement Not upheld School transport 12-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman finds no evidence of fault by the Council or the appeal panel in considering Mr X's appeal for school travel for his daughter.

Essex County Council (19 009 936)

Statement Not upheld School transport 12-Mar-2020

Summary: Miss B considers that the Council was wrong to refuse her eldest child transport to the secondary school that he attends. The Ombudsman has found no fault in the Council's decision to refuse transport, because there was a nearer available school for which Miss B chose not to apply.

Wakefield City Council (19 010 768)

Statement Upheld School transport 09-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council's decision not to provide free school transport for her daughter despite previously doing so. This led to Ms X having to pay the transport costs. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council as it did not provide all the necessary information to the panel. However, the Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused by providing free school transport to Ms X's daughter and refunding Ms X the cost of the child's transport to school from the start of the school year.

Suffolk County Council (19 004 589)

Statement Upheld School transport 09-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms M complains the Council refused her request for home to school transport for her daughter, G. There was fault in the way the Council considered Ms M's appeal. The Council has agreed to hear the appeal again.

Hartlepool Borough Council (19 012 292)

Statement Not upheld School transport 06-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to properly consider his request for a concessionary bus pass for his son, Y. The Council was not at fault.