Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about financial contributions for post-16 home to school transport. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision she must financially contribute to her child, Y’s post-16 school transport. She also complained the Council:
• sent her a letter with the wrong date,
• took too long to send an invoice, which then had the wrong address. She said despite chasing it had not issued an updated invoice.
2. Mrs X said the Council’s actions had caused her stress. She said the difficulties arise yearly. She wants the Council to address its administrative procedures avoiding the same mistakes in future.

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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 further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(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. Mrs X receives a Personal Transport Budget (PTB) for Y to help him get to school. In her complaint to the Council, Mrs X questioned the fairness of needing to make financial contributions towards Y’s transport assistance when she received the PTB. In its complaint response, the Council said it applied its Transport Policy which states if a young person over statutory school age is provided with travel assistance a contribution towards the cost of the transport may be required. This includes if travel assistance is provided by way of a personal travel budget.
7. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council has applied its policy. It is entitled to ask for financial contributions for post-16 transport. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement.
8. Mrs X also complained about delays and errors in the Council’s communication with her about her contributions. In the Council’s response it apologised for sending her a letter with the wrong date The Council said responses were delayed due to temporary resource constraints. We will not investigate this complaint further. The Council has apologised for any faults in its contact with her, that remedies any injustice. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
9. Mrs X complained the Council issued an invoice with the incorrect address. She said the council had not corrected it.
10. I can see no record Mrs X raised this complaint with the Council. It is appropriate for her to exhaust the Council’s complaint process before we consider the matter.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate this complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman