Agenda item

At their meeting on 5 July 2018, the Performance Scrutiny Committee considered the decision of Cabinet made on 19 June 2018 following proper notice of a call in. The Committee agreed to refer the decision back to Cabinet for it to consider in the light of material concerns: 

The following documents are attached (CA6)

(a)       a note of the material concerns of the Performance Scrutiny Committee

(b)       a report setting out the names of the Councillors who have required the call in and the reasons given for the Call in.

(c)        the report considered by Cabinet on 19 June 2018together with a note of the recommendation of the Education Scrutiny Committee who considered the Cabinet report at their meeting on 18 June 2018. The minute of the Cabinet meeting can be found elsewhere on this agenda.

(d)       additional information provided to the Performance Scrutiny Committee in response to the call in

At their meeting on 5 July 2018, the Performance Scrutiny Committee considered the decision of Cabinet made on 19 June 2018 following proper notice of a call in. The Committee referred the decision back to Cabinet for it to consider in the light of material concerns.

Councillor Emma Turnbull, Shadow Cabinet Member, Public Health & Education, referred to the recent debate of the Council motion with 51 councillors voting against the proposals following a well informed and insightful debate. Councillor Turnbull stated that the policy had been rushed through and the eligibility criteria unclear. The Strategy was misguided and misjudged and should be part of the wider review. The alternative funding had been shown not to be realistic as it was already being fully used and would affect parent’s child benefit. Councillor Turnbull drew attention to problems with the criteria and suggested that consultation had been lacking. The suggestions from Special School Heads had not been reflected in report. Given the voting at Council and the decision at the Performance Scrutiny Committee there was no mandate for this policy. Asked if it was fair that parents, in the circumstances where they were affluent, should contribute Councillor Turnbull replied that no they should not.

Councillor Brighouse, spoke both as the Chairman of the Performance Scrutiny Committee and as the person who had moved the motion at Council. Councillor Brighouse stated that the call in was particularly around post 16 SEND transport and the motion to Council had been about the whole budget for SEND. Councillor Brighouse further outlined the concerns of the Performance Scrutiny Committee around the lack of information in the original report and the lack of reasoning by Cabinet. The Scrutiny Committee discussed at length the impact of the use of the bursary scheme but remained unclear how many children would be affected,how many would be able to get a bursary and the impact on savings. The Committee found insufficient information on costings and the business case.

Responding to a comments Lucy Butler stated that the charge being suggested was for post 16 SEND transport only and it would be means tested so that if parents could not afford it they would not be charged.

On the suggestion of Councillor Hudspeth, Leader of the Council, Cabinet:

RESOLVED: that:

1.    The decision on transport for Special Educational Needs as originally set out at Minute 68/18, resolution 1(a) and (b) be deferred until late Autumn school term to allow discussion;

2.    To agree the following proposals for all students:

(a)  agree the ending of the current arrangements giving subsidised travel to Post 16 students to Henley College and to implement this change from September 2018;

(b)  agree that from September 2018 free travel should be provided for those students who have been placed at an alternative education provider if the places have been paid for by Oxfordshire County Council and the distance from home to the placement is over the statutory walking distance or the route is unsafe to walk even if accompanied, as necessary, by a responsible adult;

(c)   confirm the increased charges for the Spare Seat Scheme for 2018/19 and 2019/20 and agree an increase in the charges for the Spare Seat Scheme of 2% in 2020/21, 2% in 2021/2022 and a further 2% in 2022/23;

(d)   agree to the continuation of free travel for children of secondary school age who live at RAF Benson to Icknield Community College and to agree to annually review this arrangement;

(e)   introduce the new Home to School Travel and Transport Policy for those aged 5 to 16 from September 2019.

3.    A Cabinet Advisory Group be set up to consider the issues raised.