Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about school transport. This is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mrs X says the Council refused to make parental mileage payments for the transport of her child due to errors she made when submitting claims.
2. Mrs X says she had to fund transport for the disputed period. She says this has had a significant financial impact and has also caused stress and distress.
3. Mrs X would like the Council to pay the outstanding claims.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. 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))

5. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by Mrs X and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Mrs X daughter was entitled to school transport. Mrs X chose to drive her daughter to school, and the Council paid her a mileage allowance.
9. Mrs X had submitted claims via school but it stopped submitting claims on her behalf due to a change of staff.
10. Mrs X tried to make the claims herself. However, they were late and incorrectly completed. Therefore, the Council refused to accept them.
11. Mrs X complained to the Council. In its response, the Council said it would not pay the claims because the forms were incorrectly completed.
12. In response to the Ombudsman’s enquiries, the Council have said if the forms are completed correctly and resubmitted, it will use its discretion to pay them despite them being late. Therefore, it is unlikely that further investigation by the Ombudsman would lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman