So for context ever since my daughter started primary school I've never had contact from North Lanarkshire Council as to which taxi company is taking her to school, my daughter is autistic and needs help to get to school. For the most part I've only managed to find out who is transporting my daughter to school by the taxi driver introducing themselves to me by visiting myself and my daughter during the summer holidays, never once have I received a letter from North Lanarkshire Council. Right now I'm waiting on word back from my local councillor who is trying to chase this up for me and I'm also waiting for word back from a local taxi company that I phoned to see if they possibly have the contract to transport my daughter to school.
by dnemonicterrier
9 comments
I think you should be grateful that the govt is taking money out of other people’s pockets to give your daughter a taxi to school every day.
As someone who has at one point worked for NLC doing admin it’s not as simple as much of the public thinks for the services, I’d work in a specific department and have people shouting at me as they assumed as a council employee I had access to every system the council used, every piece of documentation sent and received and anything can be sorted by just requesting it i.e everything is just click a few things on the screen.
But I will say NLC cut back a lot of documentation being sent out years ago as it was costing a lot, I mean everything from if someone wanted old furniture requested to people reporting something like a hallway door that wasn’t closing right had an automatic letter sent out as a response.
You get staff who are specifically trained on a specific role within a department, and they can only do what they are told, customers could send in a request, then months or even a year later sent an email saying “why haven’t you sorted my issue” and not realise or not care that again the system doesn’t auto pull up a list of previous interactions.
Have you made an actual request of the council? I.e not just a phone call saying what you want, and have you put in an official complaint? Often going to a councillor adds things like delays if you haven’t put in a complaint first as it means the council has to manually check the system, and creates a back and forth before things get done and in my experience the councillors are often nasty pieces of work giving the “do you know who I am?!, do what I say if you want to keep your job” whilst acting nicey nicey to the public especially when it’s a photo op and take all credit for the work when all they did was be abusive to council staff.
I remember a time when a tenant had moved into a literal brand new home, phoned up my department even though it was the incorrect one shouted at me as they had put down carpet and wanted the doors shaved down as they were no longer closing, their request was denied and within a hour I was contacted by a manager as the customer had gone to their councillor and claimed I was rude and abusive to them on the phone and wanted me fired! Of course we had call recordings to prove I was nothing but polite.
Finally don’t forget data protection, phoning local companies they don’t have to tell you if they have the contract.
BTW not that I don’t feel sorry for your situation, just saying things are often more complicated than the public realises and they don’t realise how hard staff in places like council offices work. (and I am autistic so understand the frustration with transport)
Small edit – Also RM are a nightmare, so often items would go missing that were sent out and we would get people vent on phone to us blaming us for things that got lost with the “you never sent it” I myself was waiting for a council tax benefit letter and nothing arrived only to get a letter yesterday saying “as per our previous letter, we request this further information”
Also which department is it with? I know theres a transport department and that specifically has an ASN option on their phone number.
Not sure how a child having autism removes the responsibility of the parent, I have had to organise my children’s transport to school since they started because they are children.
At the very least I have a hard time imagining being so offended at having to take the relatively small effort of chasing up the transport when most other people have to do it themselves.
It’s a way to test to see if it’s still needed?
Also a way to save money by not arranging transport, if you don’t request it
Yes you shouldn’t have to do this but with the state of council finances, expect a lot of these types of hidden cuts. What was or should be automatic becoming demand only
When we decide to have children, we decide to take on the responsibility of getting them to school. It’s always been like that.
Do you want the council to clothe and feed your daughter too?
Schools in Highland broke up at the end of the first-week on July.
The following Monday, Stagecoach cancelled the bus my kids use to get to school, and because they don’t go to the school we’re in the catchment are for (placement request for Gàidhlig Medium), we’re up shit-creek when they go back.
We just got the letter in yesterday about the bus picking up one of our foster kids and a phone call today from the driver to tell us what time. Thats the norm for us and the bus. I was talking to a taxi driver yesterday, and he said the council still haven’t given them any details of the contracts for tomorrow. Seemingly, the people in charge of the contracts at North Lan are off on holiday, according to this guy.
are you paying for the taxi? if not i’d keep quiet about this
autism or not, you should also do your best to get your kid used to public transport sooner rather than later. you’re doing them no favours
Comments are closed.