The Council’s Scrutiny Panel for Early Years Children & Youth will be holding a public meeting on the 9th May 2013, to review the recent decision made by Cabinet on the future of home school transportation.
The Call-in meeting will be held at 4.30pm and will consider the process leading to the Cabinet decision. This cross-party panel for Early Years Children & Young People will consider reasons for the decision and the Call-In request, before recommending one of three options:
- the Cabinet should reconsider the decision,
- the Cabinet should proceed as agreed, or
refer the matter to the full Council to carry out the role of the Panel in reviewing the decision process (if this option is chosen, the final decision would still reside with the Cabinet).
The Cabinet’s decision addressed the following:-
- To agree that the Council should continue to seek to encourage more sustainable methods of home to school transport, particularly an increase in cycling;
- To agree that the Council should encourage the promotion of safe cycling routes to school as an alternative to using the car where there is a safe route to do so and that the feasibility of establishing the following two routes should be investigated;
a) Between Bishop Sutton and Chew Valley School;
b) Between Compton Dando and Marksbury.
- To agree that with effect from September 2014 a phased withdrawal of subsidised home to school transport services for new starters attending denominational schools from September 2014 who would not qualify under other home to school policy subsets, (e.g. as a low income family) save in the case of children with siblings currently at the school;
- To agree to maintain the budget to provide transport for Children in Care (circa £70,000) for the foreseeable future; and to ask Passenger Transport Services to review home to school transport routes on a termly basis to ensure best value for money and that home to school transport bus routes are as efficient and effective as possible. This should also include liaising with parents/carers of students who have Special Educational Needs to consider whether it is appropriate for them to receive independent travel training and a personalised transport budget to arrange their own transport which may be more suitable for their needs, similar to the system used at Coventry City Council.
11 Councillors have asked for the Cabinet decision for a phased withdrawal of subsidised home to school transport for new starters attending denominational schools to be reviewed (or ‘Called In’), and believe that alternative options should be investigated in order to continue to provide support for denominational transport. Councillors are also concerned that the Council has not fully assessed the impact withdrawal of the denominational transport subsidy and the effect that this will have on the cost of statutory home to school transport support.
Full details and agenda papers are available at www.bathnes.gov.uk in the “Council and Democracy” section. At the public meeting, the Scrutiny Panel will receive a statement from a representative of the Cabinet, and from Councillor Gabriel Batt (Bathavon North) on behalf of Councillors who signed the Call-In.
The Panel is also keen to hear from local people who have a view on this issue. Members of the public wishing to speak at the meeting should contact Democratic Services on 01225 394458 by 5pm on 3rd May 2013.
