Summary: We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint about school transport because the Council has offered to arrange an appeal hearing. It would be reasonable for Ms M to use this right of appeal. There is nothing worthwhile we could achieve by investigating her complaint now.

The complaint

1. Ms M complains the Council refused her application for home to school transport for her son.

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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:

• it would be reasonable for the person to use a council review or appeal; and
• 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 M and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council provided school transport for Ms M’s son until July 2025. He joined the sixth form at the same school in September 2025. The Council refused Ms M’s application for home to school transport. Her appeal at the first stage of the Council’s appeals process was unsuccessful.
6. Unhappy with the outcome, Ms M complained to us. She also asked the Council to consider her appeal at the second stage of the appeals process.
7. We are currently receiving a large number of complaints. We are not able to respond as quickly as we would like. We began to consider Ms M’s complaint in February 2026.
8. I asked the Council for information.
9. The Council said the stage two appeal Ms M requested was never arranged. It appears there may have been an oversight. The Council said it would arrange the appeal now.
10. We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint because it would be reasonable for her to use the appeal the Council has offered.
11. We do not decide whether the Council should provide transport for Ms M’s son. Only the Council can decide. Our job is to check the Council makes its decision properly. The Council has not made its final decision until it has heard Ms M’s stage two appeal. There is no worthwhile outcome achievable by investigating Ms M’s complaint now.
12. If Ms M remains unhappy following the appeal, she can complain to us again.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Ms M’s complaint because the Council has offered to arrange an appeal hearing. It would be reasonable for Ms M to use this right of appeal. There is nothing worthwhile we could achieve by investigating her complaint now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman