Agenda item

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”.

This Council restates its commitment to the Spare Seats scheme and to the underlying principles of safeguarding parental choice, tackling climate change, encouraging social mixing and ensuring children’s safety. 

This Council requests the Cabinet 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 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.

Councillor Eddie Reeves moved and Councillor Yvonne Constance seconded the following motion:

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”.

This Council restates its commitment to the Spare Seats scheme and to the underlying principles of safeguarding parental choice, tackling climate change, encouraging social mixing and ensuring children’s safety. 

This Council requests the Cabinet 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 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.

Councillor Andy Graham moved and Councillor Kate Gregory seconded the following amendment to the Motion as shown in bold italics and strikethrough below:

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.

Following debate the amendment by Councillor Andy Graham was put to the vote and 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.