Issue - meetings
Home to School Transport - Consultation
Meeting: 17/09/2013 - Cabinet (Item 100)
100 Home to School Transport - Consultation 
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Cabinet Member: Children, Education & Families
Forward Plan Ref: 2013/122
Contact: Neil Darlington, Service Manager – Admissions & Transport Tel: (01865) 815844
Report by Director for Children’s Services (CA8).
It is proposed that the Council should undertake a consultation with the public, headteachers and other interested parties upon a range of possible changes to the Home to School Transport Policy.
This follows the decision of the Cabinet on 16 July to consult again on the possible changes to the Home to School Transport Policy.
There is a significant financial risk to the County Coucil if the current policy remains unamended. Free travel is currently provided to the catchment school, even if it is not the nearest school, if it is over the statutory walking distance and since an increasing number of schools set their own admission arrangements, including any catchment area, and the County Council could find its financial obligations increasing in future years.
In addition, the County Council is under increasing financial pressure and therefore needs to consider possible options for reducing costs.
The Cabinet is asked to consider the consultation process to decide whether it is acceptable.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to adopt the following proposals:
(a)
to agree
the consultation arrangements for Home to School Transport
(b)
if
14 (a) is agreed, to determine whether any Cabinet Members will attend any of
the public meetings
Minutes:
It is proposed
that the Council should undertake a consultation with the public, headteachers and other interested parties upon a range of
possible changes to the Home to School Transport Policy.
Following the
decision of the Cabinet on 16 July to consult again on the possible changes to
the Home to School Transport Policy Cabinet had before them a report .that
sought approval to the proposed consultation process.
Councillor Gill
Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families
reiterated comments made at the previous Cabinet meeting that the Labour Group
remained in favour of a policy looking to charge for home to school transport
(statutory provision aside) in the current financial situation. However she hoped
that consultation would be properly carried out with everyone receiving the
information in a clear way. She suggested that consideration be given to
solutions elsewhere and referred to Somerset that used Designated Transport
Areas.
Neil Darlington
responding to a question from the Leader indicated that there was no indication
when the guidance would be reissued but it was expected late September/early
October. Responding to a comment from Councillor Heathcoat he undertook to
publicise the consultation locally for the Grove & Wantage
area.
During discussion Cabinet Members indicated that they would attend as many of the public meetings as was possible.
RESOLVED:
to:
(a)
agree the
consultation arrangements for Home to School Transport;
(b) agree, that Cabinet would attend as many of the public meetings as was possible.