Cab firms in Kent have been caught trying to take the tax-payer for a ride - claiming nearly £30,000 for home-to-school trips they did not make.

Between April and August 2024, Kent County Council (KCC) officials spotted 15 cases of invoicing “irregularities”.

The discrepancies emerged when officers checked school attendance records against payment claims by taxi companies.

The home-to-school transport (HST) service is reserved for around 6,000 special needs pupils and costs the Kent taxpayer around £70m a year.

Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee, Cllr Ros Binks, who has been an advocate of closer checking of all invoicing at KCC to prevent waste and tackle potential fraud, said: “I am assuming that all invoices are checked and there are systems in place to pick up irregularities.

“I am not surprised irregularities happen, for all sorts of reasons including error, but councils have always been fair game because of a historic lack of checking.

“We have been pressing for a change in that culture, not least because KCC has to watch every penny it spends.”

The council was not out of pocket because the sums claimed will be set against future invoicing. But offending companies could receive a written warning or contract termination.

Council papers, under the heading “Irregularity Referrals by Directorate and Fraud Type”, before Cllr Binks’ committee on March 20 state: “Irregularities within the invoicing of Home to School transport by taxi companies have resulted in an increase of referrals relating to invoicing for services not being delivered.

“These irregularities are managed by the transport team within Growth Environment and Transport.

“The transport team identifies these irregularities through the checking of invoices and school attendance, the amount overclaimed is then netted off future payments or via invoice if this is not possible.

“Warning letters are issued to taxi firms to change behaviour, with contracts being suspended or withdrawn if the behaviour does not change.

“For the period April to August 2024 there were 15 cases reported with a value of £29,649 of invoicing for services not being delivered.”

Green Party councillor Mark Hood, who sits on the committee, said: “The issue regarding fraudulent charging for home to school taxi services is an important one.

“The scale of the use of taxis and the number of individual contracts does mean that there are opportunities to commit offences and it is right that £29,649 of incorrect invoicing has been identified for 15 contracts.

“This is in the context of a £68m budget and 6,000 children with special needs being transported by taxi each year across Kent.

“Of course there may be the odd invoicing mistake but, nevertheless, everything should be done to ensure nobody is paid more than they should be to take these children to and from their schools in safety.”