Liverpool City Council (23 018 792)

Statement Upheld School transport 06-Aug-2024

Summary: There was delay by the Council in agreeing and putting in place transport for Y’s college placement and lateness by the taxi the Council commissioned. This caused avoidable distress, inconvenience and missed education. The Council will apologise and make payments.

Norfolk County Council (24 004 298)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 06-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the school transport arrangements for the complainant’s child. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council for us to be able to question its decisions.

Surrey County Council (23 013 826)

Statement Upheld School transport 04-Aug-2024

Summary: Mrs X complained about how the Council considers school transport applications for children in her village. We do not find fault with how the Council assesses these applications. We find the Council at fault for delays in considering Mrs X’s appeal and for a lack of communication. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to recognise the uncertainty caused, and act to prevent recurrence.

Kent County Council (24 005 729)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 04-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision her child is not eligible for free home to school transport. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council.

Kent County Council (23 013 508)

Statement Upheld School transport 01-Aug-2024

Summary: Mrs D complained how the Council handled her home to school transport appeal. She says the Council delayed dealing with her appeal. She also says the panel failed to properly consider the unsuitability of the pickup and drop off times from the transport arrangements. We find fault as the panel failed to consider what Mrs D originally wanted to appeal about. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

Rutland County Council (23 013 924)

Statement Upheld School transport 31-Jul-2024

Summary: Ms K complained about the Council’s decision to change her children’s school transport arrangements. She said it was not suitable for their needs and she had to transport them at her own expense. While the Council has since made a suitable transport offer, we found the Council at fault for not offering Ms K an appeal when it should have done. This caused her avoidable uncertainty. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to remedy the injustice caused.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (24 003 823)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 30-Jul-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide alternative school transport arrangements for the complainant’s child. There is not enough evidence of fault in the way the Council considered the matter to justify an investigation.

Northumberland County Council (24 004 544)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 29-Jul-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s decision her children do not qualify for free home to school transport. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council.

Worcestershire County Council (23 015 086)

Statement Upheld School transport 29-Jul-2024

Summary: Mrs Y disagrees with the Council’s decision to refuse to provide transport assistance for her son, F, to attend the college named in his Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan. She says F attends the nearest suitable college to his home address, but the Council says there is one closer. We find the Council failed to explain the implications of naming Mrs Y’s preferred college in F’s EHC plan. We also find the Council failed to properly consider whether the other college offered a course at the required level for F. The Council will implement the remedial actions listed at the end of this statement.

Plymouth City Council (23 012 234)

Statement Upheld School transport 25-Jul-2024

Summary: There was fault by the Council in how it dealt with an application for school transport. It did not take account of the statutory guidance and its policy does not reflect this. The Council took too long to convene the appeal panel and did not call him during the hearing as promised. The Council’s failings have caused the parent distress, uncertainty, and frustration. The Council has agreed to remedy this.