Issue - meetings

This Council has not historically run its Spare Seats scheme for school bus places in an optimal way. Parents and carers have too often been left in an unenviable position further to changes, with elected members often left in the dark about changes affecting schools in their divisions.

According to the Oxford Mail (22 May 2024), there is a record low number of buses and coaches being used on Oxfordshire’s roads.

Parental choice remains an important principle of the current education settlement and will remain so unless changed by an incoming government. Whilst such a principle remains, it is important that this Council does all it can to facilitate transport to preferred schools at a reasonable cost or on a revenue-neutral basis.

The Council’s Spare Seats scheme has aimed to do just this. However, there appears to be increasing uncertainty as to whether it will continue in the same form. Indeed, letters to parents from this Council cancelling services have been sent as recently as 11 June 2024.

The Council requests a briefing for elected members on the current Spare Seats settlement and requests that the Leader and relevant Cabinet Member(s) bring a report to Cabinet (such report being subject to pre-scrutiny) to address how existing numbers of school bus places can be maintained and, where possible, increased. In the meantime, this Council requests Cabinet to work with parents, schools and bus companies to ensure continuing provision of affordable school bus places.

The motion was carried unanimously.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Eddie Reeves and seconded by Councillor Nigel Simpson.

Following debate, the motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

This Council has not historically run its Spare Seats scheme for school bus places in an optimal way. Parents and carers have too often been left in an unenviable position further to changes, with elected members often left in the dark about changes affecting schools in their divisions.

According to the Oxford Mail (22 May 2024), there is a record low number of buses and coaches being used on Oxfordshire’s roads.

Parental choice remains an important principle of the current education settlement and will remain so unless changed by an incoming government. Whilst such a principle remains, it is important that this Council does all it can to facilitate transport to preferred schools at a reasonable cost or on a revenue-neutral basis.

The Council’s Spare Seats scheme has aimed to do just this. However, there appears to be increasing uncertainty as to whether it will continue in the same form. Indeed, letters to parents from this Council cancelling services have been sent as recently as 11 June 2024.

The Council requests a briefing for elected members on the current Spare Seats settlement and requests that the Leader and relevant Cabinet Member(s) bring a report to Cabinet (such report being subject to pre-scrutiny) to address how existing numbers of school bus places can be maintained and, where possible, increased. In the meantime, this Council requests Cabinet to work with parents, schools and bus companies to ensure continuing provision of affordable school bus places.