Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s Home to School transport policy. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman, and Mr X has not been caused a personal injustice.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained about the Council’s Home to School transport policy including how the Council calculates the safety of walking routes, the accuracy of the distances measured, and the Council’s implementation of statutory guidance.
2. Mr X says the matter caused him frustration and uncertainty.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaints about how the Council calculates safe walking distances, the accuracy of the distances measured, or the Council’s Home to School Transport policy and how it applies statutory guidance. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman. In addition, the issues complained about have not caused Mr X a personal injustice.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman and Mr X has not been caused a personal injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman