Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about home to school transport. It is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s decision not to hold an appeal.

The complaint

1. Ms X says the Council should provide home to school transport for her child, D.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B)).

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Ms X which includes replies from the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X applied for home to school transport for her child D for when they started senior school in September 2024. The Council told Ms X in September 2024 that it would not provide transport. Ms X asked for a review. The Council carried out a review and notified her in December 2024 that the decision would not be changed. It says it told her that she could appeal the decision to an appeal panel. To do so she needed to tell the Council within 20 working days. She did not do this.
6. In May 2025 Ms X asked the Council for an appeal. It refused and said she was too late. It said she could reapply if her circumstances had changed.

Analysis

7. The Council has a home to school transport review and appeal policy which is in line with government guidance. We expect parents to use this process before we will consider the decision to refuse the application. I see no reasons why we should not expect Ms X to have appealed within the time limit. It is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s decision not to hold an appeal.
8. Also the remedy we would most likely to achieve, if we found fault would be a new appeal. Ms X can apply now for school transport for the next school year 2025/26. This means we are unlikely to achieve any significant remedy which is not already available.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s decision not to allow an appeal.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman