South Gloucestershire Council (24 012 133)
Category : Education > School transport
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 13 Jan 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the provision of free to home to school transport. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.
The complaint
- Ms X complained about the Council’s decision to refuse free home to school transport to a local school.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
- We do not start an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X appealed the Council’s decision not to award her children free home to school transport.
- Ms X’s children were awarded free home to school transport in October 2024, following her appeal. She has not complained specifically about the appeals process.
- We will not consider her complaint further because there is insufficient evidence of fault causing injustice to Ms X.
- Ms X also complained that the Councils decision to reduce bus services for home to school transport is affecting other families. There is insufficient evidence of fault to justify us investigating this part of the complaint further. In addition, it has not caused any personal injustice to Ms X.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice to Ms X.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman