Derbyshire County Council (25 030 795)
Category : Education > School transport
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 02 Sep 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about school transport because there is not enough evidence of fault causing injustice to justify an investigation.
The complaint
- Ms X complains about the arrangements offered by the Council for her son’s home to school transport.
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 we must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault causing injustice to the person who complained. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- I have carefully considered everything Ms X said, although I have not included every detail here. I have included as few details as possible to protect the anonymity of Ms X and family.
- Ms X applied for home to school transport when she moved house. At first the Council provided a taxi, but following a review it offered a bus pass for Ms X’s son to use a private bus arranged by the school for children living outside the catchment area.
- Ms X appealed the Council’s decision. She said her son found the bus journey difficult because of his special educational needs. A panel, including an educational psychologist, considered Ms X’s appeal. The panel decided the offer of a bus pass was suitable. Unhappy with the outcome Ms X complained to us.
- We are not another appeal. We do not decide how the Council should provide transport for Ms X’s son. Our job is to check the Council made its decision properly.
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence that fault by the Council has caused injustice. The Council considered all the evidence Ms X provided before making a decision.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence that fault by the Council has caused injustice.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman