Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about changes to the pickup and drop-off points for the school transport used by her children because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about changes to the pickup and drop-off points for her children’s school transport. She says the walking route is unsafe.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. The Council changed the route of the school transport used by Ms X’s children to avoid a low bridge. The Council proposed new pickup and drop-off points for the children which are slightly further from home than those they used before. The extra distance the children must walk is within acceptable limits, and the roads in question have pavements and crossing points with adequate visibility. Any injustice caused by the changes is not sufficient to justify our involvement.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because any injustice caused by the changes to the pickup and drop-off points used by her children is not sufficient to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman