Agenda item

Cabinet had before them a report that contained an analysis of the responses to a consultation with the public, head teachers and other interested parties upon a number of proposed changes to the Home to School Transport Policy. Cabinet further had a note from the Chairman of the Education Scrutiny Committee containing recommendations following consideration of the proposals at their meeting on 4 July 2013 and a further supplementary report containing an update on the analysis of consultation responses in the light of responses received since the circulation of the agenda. Finally Cabinet had before them a supplementary report advising that the new Guidance which had been the basis of consultation had now been withdrawn by the Department for Education and the previous 2007 Guidance reinstated and that therefore it was inappropriate to consider the proposals today.

Peter Clark, County Solicitor confirmed the advice given in the supplementary report no decision on the current proposals be taken today.

Councillor Hudspeth indicated that he would be accepting the advice given but that in any case he had been minded to defer the matter following the letters and emails that he had received and other representations made to him by councillors and the public. He accepted that there would be a need to repeat the consultation and that he did not wish to rush this decision. However he referred to the serious financial challenge that the Council faced and that the whole budget was being considered to see where the savings could be achieved.  He noted that the proposals had been in line with the then current guidance, had not affected anyone currently in receipt of free transport and that the majority of parents were not affected. His ambition was that all schools in Oxfordshire would be good or excellent and that there would be no reason not to go to the local school. He referred to a number of existing anomalies, stressed that he would meet with residents and that he had an open mind.

Mrs Nelson, St Swithens CE Primary School, Kennington resident, parent and Chair of Governors submitted a petition against the proposals and in speaking to the petition highlighted 5 areas of concern: she wished Kennington to maintain the diverse social cohorts it currently achieved that she felt would be threatened by the changes to the policy; child safety - it was impractical to expect parents to walk with their children each day; congestion would increase; there were educational concerns and concerns around social equality.

Councillor Lynda Atkins, as Chairman of the Education Scrutiny Committee highlighted the key points set out in her note of the discussion at the meeting on 4 July 2013.

Councillor George Reynolds, speaking as a local councillor expressed concerns over the length of the consultation and the range of people consulted. Parish Councils had not been consulted directly and more information was needed on what the proposals meant to people. He also highlighted the possible implications for the villages, parents, children and schools in his division with 6 of 7 primary schools impacted and 10 of 25 villages/hamlets.

Councillor Kieron Mallon, speaking as a local councillor accepted that savings had to be made but commented that as a recent Cabinet member  he had been able to encourage and then vote for the provision of a sixth form at Warriner School.  The sixth form needed time to bed in and their partnership working would be affected by Proposal 5. He welcomed the deferral of any decision and agreed with others that the consultation had been poor. He detailed concerns with regard to proposal 3 and 4 but welcomed that the poorest families would not be affected, that it was to have been phased in with a slow increase in charges. He urged the Cabinet to recognise the problems for rural children.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, speaking as a local councillor expressedher relief that it was being withdrawn but added her concerns to others including the local parish council for Risinghurst that the proposals would result in more children being driven to school and that routes were not safe.

Councillor Gill Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families, stated that the Labour Group were in favour in principle of looking at the policy and of protecting essential services. It was a good idea if children did eventually go to their closest schools but she felt that the current situation was poor and that the proposals suffered from poor presentation, inadequate consultation and were hasty. She welcomed the decision not to take these proposals forward and hoped that future consultation would be better.

District Councillor for Garsington, Elizabeth Gillespie spoke in support of points made by Maldon School. She agreed with others that the consultation was flawed and also felt that the financial conclusions were flawed as she did not believe that 3 buses could be cancelled from Garsington. She also referred to the importance of parental choice and that the most economically disadvantaged families not be discouraged.

Sue Moon, Oxon Bus Action Group,  indicated that she had only recently set up the Action Group and already had over 1000 people using the Facebook  page as a means of keeping in touch. She highlighted that schools had only 1 week before the original end date of the consultation and queried that as far as she could tell the matter had not been raised with Parish Councils. She reiterated previous concerns relating to safeguarding children’s safety. She warned that similar proposals to those withdrawn today would see the campaign continue and she was certain that councillors making this decision would find themselves punished at the ballot box. She submitted a petition adding that she would be seeking sufficient signatures to spark a Council debate. Councillors Fatemian and Tilley made it clear that they had raised this matter at every Parish Council meeting they attended.

Graham Speke, Carterton Community College, spoke in support of the proposal highlighting that it would address an issue of inequality across the County and referring particularly to the positive implications for Carterton Community College.

Bob Edward, Governor at Carterton Community College spoke in support of the proposal commenting that the current imbalance affecting Carterton needed to be adjusted. However he supported greater consultation to allow the democratic process to be seen.

Niall McWilliams, Head Teacher, Carterton Community College supported the proposals on the basis of fairness and equity.

Annabel Kay Head Teacher, Warriner School supported comments by Councillor Reynolds commenting that 6^th form status had been granted in July 2012 but that the current proposals put the school significantly at risk.

Andrew Baud, founder of the Shutford Community Association, member of the The Warriner Partnership working party and governor at Sibford Gower Primary School spoke against the proposals asking Cabinet to look again at consultation, to work with all parties and to consider ring fencing rural communities.

Kathy Haig, Headteacher, Burford School spoke against the proposal but focussed on the common purpose of providing outstanding education to all the children of Oxfordshire. She highlighted the partnership working between Burford School and local primary schools and that the proposals would mean that of 9 partner schools in only 2 cases would Burford School be their nearest school. She suggested that transport be devolved to schools noting that she already provided buses for out of hours activities.

Andrew Pitman, Chair of Governors, Burford School, spoke against the proposals reiterating concerns that the proposal would have been socially divisive and would have resulted in the destruction of the catchment area. The proposal cold see the numbers of children coming to Burford falling substantially.

Richard Martin, governor at Burford School, spoke against the report commenting that they only worked if parents chose to pay for transport. The education of children was important and it could not be right that this could be set by the bus transport team.

John White, Mayor of Burford spoke against the report expressing the opposition of the Town Council.

Mr Rae, Chair of Governors at Brize Norton Primary School highlighted the detrimental affect the changes would have on the school which had been the first to be ajudged excellent in all categories by Ofsted.

Ed Scates added his concerns to those already heard.

Cabinet in discussion supported the proposal to defer consideration for further review and a later consultation. However they recognised the financial constraints the Council was under and that further consideration of the way forward would be needed.

RESOLVED:             to defer any decision and to restart consultation in September with a view to reconsideration of the matter at Cabinet’s meeting in November.