The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X complaint about payments for post-16 home to school transport because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
The complaint
Ms X complains the Council refused her request to pay the parental contribution towards her children’s post-16 school transport monthly rather than termly. She is unhappy with the Council’s handling of her complaint.
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 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, or further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Ms X has two children in post-16 education. They are eligible for assistance with home to school transport, subject to a financial contribution from Ms X.
The Council allows parents to pay their contribution in three termly payments.
Ms X wants to pay in monthly instalments.
The Council responded to Ms X’s complaint about the matter. The Council said it would be too costly to offer parents a monthly payment option. It said transport was “on standby” ready to take Ms X’s children to school on receipt of her payment. Alternatively, the Council offered to pay Ms X a mileage allowance to arrange transport herself once it received her first termly payment.
Unhappy with the Council’s response, and its handling of her complaint, Ms X complained to us.
We do not decide whether the Council should allow parents to pay monthly or termly for their contribution towards the cost of post-16 transport. This is the Council’s decision. The Council considered Ms X’s request and explained why it was not possible. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation. An investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Ms X is unhappy with the Council’s handling of her complaint. We will not consider complaints about complaint handling when we are not investigating the issues which led to the complaint. It would not be a good use of our limited resources.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman