Agenda item

The Committee requested an update on the People Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s Home to School Transport Working Group report which was submitted in March 2023.  The Committee also requested information on home to school transport more generally, including the spare seats scheme.

Cllr Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for SEND Improvement, Cllr John Howson, Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Young People’s Services, and Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, have been invited to present the report. Andrew Richards, Operational Manager (Service Planning Supported Transport), and Philip Earnshaw, Operational Manager (Contracted and Fleet Supported Transport) have been also been invited to attend.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Report to follow.

The Committee had asked for an update on the report from the People Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s Home to School Transport Working Group that was presented in March 2023. They also sought information about the broader home to school transport system, including details of the spare seats scheme.

Cllr John Howson, Cabinet Member for Children, Education, and Young People’s Services, and Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, and Kate Reynolds, Deputy Director of Education, attended to present the report. Stephen Chandler, Executive Director of People and Transformation, Philip Earnshaw, Operational Manager (Contracted and Fleet Supported Transport), and Andrew Richards, Operational Manager (Service Planning Supported Transport) were invited to attend to answer questions.

The Deputy Director of Education presented the report and provided an overview of the challenges and measures taken regarding home to school transport. The Deputy Director emphasized the need for policy review and the implementation of a transformation programme to address service performance and cost issues.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education, and Young People’s Services provided some additional information on the spare seats scheme and the recent decision by Cabinet to increase the charges by 20% for 2024/25.

The Committee discussed the report and raised the following concerns and suggestions:

·       Members raised concerns about the potential for areas of Home to School Transport issue being overlooked as they sat within different service areas of the Council. It was mentioned that the upcoming Cabinet item on sustainable school transport was assigned to the Cabinet member for Transport, Home to School Transport but this report fell under the purview of the Cabinet member for Children, Education, and Young People Services. Members were concerned that this made the question of funding for Home to School Transport even more complex.

The Operational Manager (Contracted and Fleet Supported Transport) assured the Committee that school transport and public transport teams collaborate closely. Moreover, the optimal outcome would be that investment in school transport also helped to maintain a public bus service. The Deputy Director also made assurances that officers representing the sustainable school strategy will also be on the School Transport Board.

The Committee advocated for a holistic strategy in considering Home to School Transport, which encompassed the expected use of private vehicles. It was essential that approaches to public transport aligned with broader transport and environmental objectives and strategies.

·       The Committee enquired about the impact on the budget and quality of service due to targets aiming for a £1.6m cost reduction amidst rising industry costs. The Cabinet Member notified the Committee that a projected budget shortfall existed and initiatives to reduce expenses were being implemented. It was also mentioned that there would be an increase in fees by 20% for the Spare Seats Scheme to compensate for the costs.

·       The Committee stressed the need for a school transportation system that served everyone, particularly children from remote rural areas and those who were neurodivergent, SEND, or have EHCPs.

The Cabinet Member clarified that Oxfordshire, like most County Councils, adopted a policy favouring the nearest school, ensuring free transportation for those who chose their closest school which happened to be situated more than three miles away. The Spare Seats scheme, however, did not guarantee a seat for longer than one term. It was important that all schools made sure parents were aware of this when school preference applications were made.

·       Members expressed enthusiasm and admiration for the Independent Travel Training scheme and were eager for more details. The Operational Manager for Contracted and Fleet Supported Transport praised the initiative as beneficial for all: youths gained independence, costs were reduced, and bus companies were eager to participate. A team of specialist trainers and managers was set to begin the programme in the next month, with a Council update to follow.

The Executive Director of People and Transformation left the meeting at this stage.

·       Officers and members observed the discrepancy between the current £2 public fare for each way and the higher costs linked with the Spare Seats scheme, underscoring the necessity for a closer examination of public transport utilisation within the contexts of school transportation and Spare Seats.

·       There were worries about the application of the Home to School Transport policy and its negative impact on deprived regions of the county, as well as the challenges that limited school transport options pose for school attendance in rural or disadvantaged areas. To increase the Spare Seats scheme's accessibility for underprivileged neighbourhoods, members debated the suitability and feasibility of a large one-time payment for all families, proposing alternative payment options.

The Operational Manager (Contracted and Fleet Supported Transport) indicated that adopting alternative payment methods like direct debits was not feasible for administrative reasons at the time. Nonetheless, implementing these methods could be achievable and would represent progress in modernizing the service. The Cabinet Member proposed that such initiatives should be incorporated into efforts to digitize the service by leveraging data and innovative technology to enhance cost efficiency and user experience. Additionally, the Cabinet Member recognized the necessity for improvement regarding the social impact of the service, acknowledging that its practical value currently falls short of reaching the social value benchmark of £250,000.

·       The Chair emphasised the need to inform families about Spare Seats availability and other school transport options promptly. It was emphasized that in order for families to arrange transportation for school, they need to be given adequate notice, which may involve starting the tender process earlier to provide them with the opportunity to make informed decisions. The necessity of revising current policy to create a more inclusive School Transport and Spare Seats policy was also highlighted.

·       The Committee noted with regret that a number of recommendations made by the Working Group and accepted by Cabinet had not been actioned in a timely manner and were now being considered as part of the transformation work.

The Committee AGREED to establish a working group to consider the Spare Seats Scheme. A report would be brought to the Committee in November and members would collaborate with officers beforehand with a view to a new policy being presented to Cabinet.

The Committee requested the following ACTIONS:

·       Information about the number of families attached to which schools to whom the Council would be unable to offer Spare Seats or alternative arrangements for September 2024.

The Committee resolved to make the following RECOMMENDATIONS:

·       That the Council should revise its Home to School Transport Policy.