Decision Maker: County Council
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The amendment by Councillor Andy Graham, as set out in the Schedule of Business, was carried by 36 votes to 15.
The substantive motion, as amended, was carried by 36 votes to 15.
RESOLVED (36 to 15):-
Oxfordshire’s Spare Seats programme has offered
children a safe and affordable bus to school for c. 35 years.
This Council apologises unreservedly for its decision to send
‘withdrawal’ letters to parents under its Spare Seats
scheme without parental or wider public consultation. The wording
of its withdrawal letters caused significant anxiety and distress
to parents in predominantly rural areas, with up to 235 children
affected in the short term and as many as 1,384 students in the
medium term.
To date, the Council has defended its decision on the
basis that it has no legal obligation to operate the scheme, adding
that its continuation: “reinforces children travelling to
schools further away than their nearest school”.
Council recognises that a recent letter sent to the parents/guardians of 235 children regarding possible withdrawal of spare seats has caused anxiety. It notes that officers are working to identify commercial or community alternatives for those who are not offered a spare seat from September.
Council recognises that national policy on home to school transport has beenfollowed by all administrations over the past c35 years, and that we continue to provide transport in line with national policy. Council notes that no authority has a legal obligation to operate the spare seats scheme, but recognises the successful efforts of officers over many years in working with schools and parents to identify alternatives where spare seats become unavailable
This Council
restates its commitment to the Spare Seats scheme and to the
principles of safeguarding parental preference, tackling climate
change, encouraging social mixing and
ensuring children’s safety. The School Transport Working
Group has published a review of the scheme and Council asks that
its recommendations be assessed by the People Scrutiny Committee as
rapidly as possible and its
recommendations communicated to the Cabinet
This Council requests the Cabinet Director of
Children’s Services to write to all parents/guardians whose
children benefit from the scheme to reassure them that this Council
is giving active consideration to improving Spare Seats
committed to providing spare seats wherever possible and/or
encouraging replacement community transport services to ensure that
there is no loss of services to parents and pupils.
This Council requests the Cabinet to
provide a written explanation to members of this Council
surrounding the withdrawal letters and to work with the Chair(s) of
relevant committee(s) to ensure that members can discharge their
democratic duties as scrutineers of Council policy
Publication date: 04/04/2023
Date of decision: 28/03/2023
Decided at meeting: 28/03/2023 - County Council