We’ve now received formal confirmation from the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) that our complaint about South Lanarkshire Council’s handling of the Sandford–Strathaven school route has been accepted and registered.

Our case reference is SPSO 202508744.

The SPSO has confirmed that due to the volume of cases, it may take up to 16 weeks for them to review and take action — but the process is officially underway, and all evidence we submitted is now part of their investigation.

This is a significant step forward.

🔍 What This Means

The SPSO will now independently examine:

- The Council’s refusal to reconsider the route
- The failure to account for winter conditions, darkness, flooding and lack of lighting
- Inconsistencies between Sandford and other communities (e.g., Blackwood–Lesmahagow)
- Equality issues affecting rural pupils
- The Council declaring the route “safe” despite professional evidence showing otherwise
- The Stage 2 response from SLC stating the matter is “concluded”

💬 What Happens Next

There’s nothing further for us to submit at this stage — the SPSO will now begin their assessment.

But we will continue to gather evidence, engage the media, and keep political representatives updated so that the pressure remains on.

Thank you to everyone who has supported, commented, shared, and stood up for what is simply basic child safety.

This is not over — but today, we’ve taken another important step.