Agenda item

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:

Sue Moon -   Oxfordshire School Bus Action Group (OSBAG)

Angus Wilkinson -  OSBAG

Chris Fyfe - OSBAG

Councillor Anne Purse, local Councillor

John Cochrane, Member of the Public

Dr Annabel Kay, Head Teacher – The Warriner School

Mr James Pilgrim, Deputy Head Teacher– Burford School

Sue Moon, OSBAG, asked that the Committee when listening to the presentations today to consider whether you are convinced that the savings are genuine beyond any reasonable doubt. She asked this in view of the real damage she felt that the proposals could do if voted through. She also asked Members to consider why they became involved in local politics and if it was to serve the local community. She understood the financial challenges but asked Members to consider the broader picture and if in any doubt to pause and look at other options and pilots already in place elsewhere. Responding to questions she highlighted that partnerships had been identified as a powerful tool for raising attainment. Transition was vital and again evidence suggested it worked best when it worked simplest with one to one one or long standing cluster relationships. 

Mr Wilkinson, OSBAG, speaking as a parent and governor stated that the proposals had no educational advantage but did carry educational risks. There were a lot of unknowns with the risk of some schools being unable to deal with the capacity of children wishing to go there. Other schools would lose pupils with the effect this would have on their budgets. It would be hard for schools to plan with the unknowns. He added that he believed there were errors of fact in the financial proposal such as buses being cut in Kennington but no consequent additional cost where additional service might be required.

Responding to questions from Councillor Brighouse he explained that the educational disadvantage was around aspects of the particular partnerships schools had developed. In response to further questions from Members he acknowledged that he had no empirical evidence of the disadvantage caused. However he commented that the move away from current provision was very new and by few County Councils and queried how Members could equally be certain that there was no risk to education.

Chris Fyfe, OSBAG, referred to a sensitivity analysis he had carried out and presented his findings in chart form for members’ information. He stated that a small change in parent’s behaviour would have a large impact on the savings to be made. Chris Fyfe responded to a questions from members and indicated that the lower saving figure of the model did not represent the worst case  in terms of savings to be made. He had not looked at the impact of safe routes and took no specific account of alternatives modes of transport. He had looked at demand and the effect on savings only.

Councillor Purse, speaking as a local Councillor, referred to the particular difficulties faced by the villages in her Division who currently sent children to Wheatley Park Secondary School. Alternative nearer schools are in Oxford and some of these schools are always oversubscribed. Parents would never know what places were likely to be available. Often the schools were nearer by fractions of a mile and yet the journey times would be far greater with the impact on travel costs. She recognised the need for savings and asked that the proposals only be enacted where there were real savings.  She asked for a sensible application of the proposals and where it did not make financial sense not to do it. During questions Councillor Purse suggested that in practicable terms it was about looking at the cost when new contracts were let to see that it provided savings.

John Cochrane stated that given the Council had a legal duty to provide free home to school transport, in part supported by specific government grants, the charge levied should only be the marginal extra cost of the transport ie. The full cost of providing the transport less the full cost of transport per pupil for those provided with free transport to all Oxfordshire schools. He added that to charge the full cost was unfair and inequitable. It was the duty of the Committee to consider the validity and consequence of the savings. There was nothing on the effect of academies. His modified suggestions would reduce the risk of schools closing or having reduced budgets.

Dr Annabel Kay, Head Teacher,The Warriner School, accepted the need to make savings and acknowledged the time put into the deliberations but stated that parental choice would be affected for those who were unable to afford transport and unable to find alternative means of transport. The effect on the Warriner School would be disproportionate. The school had a large and spread out catchment and was close to Banbury. She asked that catchments be reviewed rather than going for the easy option of nearest school only. Responding to a question about the Schools relationship with feeder schools Dr Kay replied that they worked closely with feeder schools and would continue to do so.

Mr Pilgrim, Head Teacher, Burford School, referred to the additional staff to be appointed to deal with the appeals and queried whether the cost included on-costs. He assumed that this cost had been built into the expected savings.