London Borough of Enfield (24 014 891)

Statement Upheld School transport 30-Sep-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council accepted his daughter, Y, for school transport, but made him arrange it and escort her. He said he did not agree to this. Mr X said this impacted him financially and affected his mental health. There was fault in the way the Council required Mr X to have a personal travel budget and required him to escort Y. This frustrated and distressed Mr X. The Council should apologise, make a financial payment and provide transport and an escort for Y.

Manchester City Council (24 023 362)

Statement Upheld School transport 30-Sep-2025

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decision not to provide her with son with home to school transport. We find the Council was at fault for failing for consider Miss X’s son’s ability to walk to school. This has caused Miss X uncertainty and frustration. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and rehear her stage two appeal with a different panel.

Surrey County Council (25 004 887)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 30-Sep-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council refusing to provide post-16 transport to college. This is because the Council has now agreed to provide transport. This is the outcome Mrs X wanted. An investigation would not achieve anything more.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (25 001 284)

Statement Upheld School transport 29-Sep-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to refuse school transport for his three children. He says the Council has failed to consider the health diagnosis of each child. We found the Council at fault, which caused Mr X injustice. The Council has agreed to reconsider the appeal, make payment to recognise the injustice and apologise to Mr X.

Surrey County Council (25 005 152)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 28-Sep-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to decline Mrs X’s application for travel assistance on behalf of her child Y. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

Leicester City Council (25 005 194)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 25-Sep-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to reject Mr X’s application and appeal for school transport for his child. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.

North Northamptonshire Council (25 007 985)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 24-Sep-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse Mrs X’s application for free home-to-school transport for her child. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

Staffordshire County Council (25 006 136)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 24-Sep-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council refusing to provide her child with transport to school. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

Essex County Council (24 019 303)

Statement Upheld School transport 23-Sep-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has not dealt properly with school transport for her son, causing distress and financial loss. The Council is at fault because it did not initially respond to Mrs X’s complaints and did not properly consider whether transport for Y was suitable. Mrs X suffered distress and financial loss. The Council should apologise, pay Mrs X £150 for time and trouble, backdate Y’s travel allowance, pay Mrs X £250 for avoidable distress, review Y’s transport provision and review its policy.

North Northamptonshire Council (24 017 782)

Statement Upheld School transport 23-Sep-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to properly apply its home-to-school transport policy and explain its decisions. Miss X also said the Council’s policy was inadequate. She said this meant the Council made an incorrect decision about her application for transport assistance. We have found the Council at fault for its deficient policy and for relying on incorrect information when it made its decision. This caused Miss X uncertainty when making her application. This also caused uncertainty about whether the appeal panel would have made a different decision. The Council has agreed to apologise and arrange a new stage two appeal panel to consider Miss X's appeal again. The Council has already amended its published home-to-school transport policy and we make no further recommendations in respect of this.