North Yorkshire Council (25 026 146)
Category : Education > School transport
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 16 Sep 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about arrangements for education transport. The Council has already upheld the complaint, and our intervention would not add anything significant or lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
- Miss X, represented by her mother, Mrs X, complains that a driver and escort subcontracted by the Council to provide education transport were unsuitable and could have presented a safeguarding risk.
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 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 we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X is an adult who is provided with education transport by the Council. Her mother, Mrs X. complains on her behalf about a potential driver and escort subcontracted by the Council. Specifically, she complains that, during a home visit, it was clear to her that they were not suitable to provide the service. She says they could not meet her daughter’s needs and contends that they presented a safeguarding risk.
- The Council upheld Mrs X’s complaint. It has apologised and has terminated its contract with the provider. It has also confirmed that it referred the matter to its safeguarding team and the taxi licensing authority.
- The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. We do not normally investigate complaints which have already been upheld, as is the case here. It is not a good use of our resources to do so. Investigation would not add anything significant to the Council’s findings or lead to a different outcome, and is not therefore warranted.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman