Summary: We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint about free home to school transport for her son because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms M complains the Council refused her application and subsequent appeal for free home to school transport for her son in 2024. She thinks the Council’s decision is unfair because the Council has provided free transport for a relative in similar circumstances.

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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 an 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 M.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms M applied for free home to school transport for her son in 2024. Her application and subsequent appeal were unsuccessful. I have not included the details of Ms M’s appeal here to ensure her anonymity.
6. Ms M complained to us in September 2025. She said the Council had provided free transport for a relative in similar circumstances, and she thought the Council’s decision to refuse her application was unfair.
7. Ms M sent me the decision letter from her September 2024 appeal.
8. The Ombudsman is not another appeal. We do not decide whether the Council should provide free transport for Ms M’s son. Our job is to check the appeal panel made its decision properly. We check the panel followed the relevant law and guidance, took account of relevant Council policies, and considered all relevant evidence. We cannot question a panel’s decision if it is taken without fault, no matter how strongly Ms M disagrees.
9. The panel’s September 2024 decision letter addresses all the points Ms M raised in her appeal and her subsequent complaint to us. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify further investigation by us.
10. Ms M complained the Council has provided free transport for a relative in similar circumstances. She thinks this is unfair. Each case is considered on the child’s individual circumstances. I cannot comment on why the Council provides transport for a different child. I do not know that child’s circumstances or the reasons for the Council’s decision. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify further investigation.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman