Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about home to school transport. This is because there is not enough evidence the Council is at fault to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains about the cost of her child’s home to school, post-16 transport. She says her child only uses the bus to get home each day, and she should only pay half the contribution the Council is asking for.

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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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

2. I considered information provided by the complainant.
3. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. The cost of the transport is £640 per school year but Miss X would like this reduced to £320 as her child only travels half the journeys. Miss X has appealed to the Council about the cost of her child’s transport. She has also complained to the Council.
5. The Council says Miss X needs to pay the full contribution towards the transport, regardless of the number of journeys her child makes. The Council’s policy details all families using the service must pay a contribution of £640 per year for post-16 travel. The Council says the bus remains available should Miss X wish for her child to also use it to get to college and has also advised Miss X of other schemes she may be eligible for to help with the cost of transport.
6. The Council is entitled to make this decision and it is in line with its policy. We therefore cannot criticise the Council’s decision and we will not investigate this complaint as there is not enough evidence of fault.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence the Council is at fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman