Cabinet accepts school transport recommendations
Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet today (27 January) approved proposals to make changes to the denominational aspect of the County’s Home to School Transport policy.
Warwickshire County Council currently offers free transport to around 1200 students, aged four to 16, who attend the nearest faith school to their home address (in Warwickshire, faith schools are either Catholic or Church of England Aided). This is known as denominational transport. For all of these students, there will be a closer school to home.
Following a period of public consultation, Cabinet agreed that from September 2012, new applicants for transport will only be eligible for free travel if they are attending the nearest school to their home address, or if they qualify for free transport as a low-income family.
Students receiving free transport on denominational grounds in July 2012 would not be affected, and their transport would continue until they leave their current school, or transfer into the sixth form.
It is anticipated that this change in policy could eventually save the Local Authority in the region of £700 000 by 2017.
Students attending faith schools may still be able to travel to school on Council services under Warwickshire’s Vacant Seats Scheme. This allows those students not entitled to free transport to travel on Council services in return for a parental contribution.
Warwickshire County Councillor Heather Timms, portfolio holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “Over time this policy change will result in significant contributions towards Warwickshire County Council’s budget.
“This discretionary transport subsidy has been reviewed along with all of the non-statutory services offered to students and their families, and we have taken this decision to make savings in order to protect frontline services.”
The public consultation launched on 8 November 2010 and ran until 14 January 2011. Around 550 responses were received, the majority of which were opposed to the proposal.
For more information please visit the website at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/schooltransport.
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact Helen List in the Warwickshire County Council press office on 01926 414142.