CAMPAIGNERS and councillors critical of transport cuts for disabled children at a Timperley school have welcomed a council watchdog ruling to uphold a parent’s complaint.

Last week, it was revealed that the Local Government Ombudsman ruled in the favour of complainant Claudette Nelson.

Claudette’s son Taiyo, from Stretford, is one of 12 special needs teenagers at Brentwood School currently without school transport after it was axed in a cost-cutting operation by the council.

The Ombudsman found that Taiyo had been treated unfairly and that there was ‘failures and faults’ with Trafford Council’s Home to School Transport policy. An apology to the family must also be issued.

Sally Wheatman, SOS Trafford coordinator, said: "When this vital service was withdrawn in September last year, we parents felt it was so blatantly unfair that it must have been a mistake.

"We have campaigned tirelessly and asked repeatedly for Trafford Council to reconsider. They have not.

“Whilst we are delighted with the Ombudsman's ruling, it is worrying that, with their team of legal advisers, the council was unable to see the flaws in their policy or to reconsider once these flaws were highlighted.

"Those who have paid the biggest price for this cruel approach have been our young people and their families. It has caused unnecessary hardship to those already under huge stress to manage the demands of caring for a young person with a learning disability, hold down a job and fulfil their other family responsibilities.

“Claudette and her family are exceptional people. They re-arranged their working hours to make sure they could take Taiyo to and from school. At the same time they continued to fight this unjustified decision which had such a terrible impact on their son. I am delighted for them and hugely grateful, for all our young people, that they didn't give up."

The ruling has also been welcomed by a number of councillors who have been vocal in their opposition to the cuts.

In January, Trafford Labour Party put forward a motion for the immediate reinstatement of transport for all teenagers from whom the service was withdrawn at a Trafford Council meeting. The bid was refused. Leader of Trafford Labour Party, Cllr Andrew Western said: “This is a massive victory for the parents concerned. They refused to accept that this misguided policy was correct and the Ombudsman has now agreed with them.

“The Tories have got this so wrong; but worse still they refused to accept the inherent unfairness of what they were doing. They now need to accept the decision and do the decent thing: scrap this unpopular and unjust policy and reinstate transport for all of the other Brentwood children who have had the service withdrawn.”

Cllr Mike Freeman previously criticised the council for ‘lack of willingness’ to communicate and negotiate with parents affected.

Speaking about the Ombudsman decision, Cllr Freeman said: “The Labour group continue to support parents and carers of the Brentwood children who have lost their transport. We believe that the decision made by the Tory council is utterly flawed and these teenagers are deserving of support to enable them to get to school to what is a vital time of their lives.

“In respect of the Ombudsman’s ruling, we wait to see what action the council will be taking and whether or not an apology be offered to all children, parents and carers involved.”

Members from other parties have spoken out against the withdrawal of transport. Cllr Ray Bowker, leader of the Liberal Democrats, branded it a ‘retrograde’ decision and said he was ‘horrified’ that the bid to reinstate the transport was refused.

Trafford Council said it does not comment on individual cases but confirmed that in November 2015 it published its proposals for a new All Age Travel policy.

A spokesperson said: “This is currently in the final stages of public consultation and the outcome of that engagement with the public will be considered shortly, before a decision is taken with regard to the proposals.”