Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the qualifications the Council requires people providing school transport services to take because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council will no longer accept his safeguarding and first aid qualifications for school transport services. He complains the Council is acting unreasonably in requiring him to take further qualifications which he believes are inferior to those he already holds.

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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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (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. Mr X holds safeguarding and first aid qualifications and has provided school transport services for the Council in the past.
6. The Council introduced new requirements for people providing school transport services in 2024. The Council now requires applicants to complete training provided by Council. The Council will not consider Mr X’s application as he has not completed the Council training.
7. Mr X thinks the Council is being unreasonable as he already holds qualifications the Council accepted in the past. He says his qualifications are superior to those offered by the Council.
8. It is for the Council, not the Ombudsman, to decide the training requirements for people providing its school transport services.
9. The Council explained that its qualifications include Warwickshire-specific guidance and offer the Council an opportunity to assess the applicant’s suitability to work with vulnerable young people.
10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman