Meeting documents

Cabinet are asked to agree the three recommendation as set out in the report.

Mr T Vouyioukas, Executive Director for Children’s Services, Ms S Callaghan, Service Director for Education, and Mr P Robson, Head of Integrated Transport attended the meeting to answer member questions.

Mr M Appleyard, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills introduced the report and highlighted the following:

• The cost of Home to School Transport for Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) was £15m with an increase of £1-2m per year and was becoming unsustainable.
• There was an increase in numbers of  special needs children that needed support, providing a service was crucial, therefore all elements of cost needed to be reduced to impact the total bill.
• There were a number of areas that were statutory but post 16 transport was not a statutory service.
• The proposals would provide skills for independent travel arrangements helping those SEN children to become skilled in travelling independently as well as  asking parents of special educational needs (SEN) children to contribute towards the cost and remove free transport. 
• Public transport routes were similar to school routes and conversations were taking place to see if public buses and routes could be utilised but ensuring extra capacity was provided.
• There had been a wide consultation process and feedback and ideas had been taken into account including those related to switching to public transport.
• Mr Appleyard confirmed that before any changes were made, parents would be informed.

Cabinet raised and discussed the following points:

·       The challenge that had been placed on BCC by central government with children remaining in education until they were 18 but with no additional funding for their travel.

·       Asking parents for contributions for specific travel would allow BCC to continue to provide the service.

·       Cabinet raised concerns about moving to commercial bus service and the practicalities and safety around that.  It would be essential to ensure drivers were aware of their responsibilities and for BCC to ensure a safe environment including walking to and from bus stops, lighting, shelters and real time information at bus stops.  Mr Robson confirmed that they were already in conversation with stakeholders/suppliers to gage interest and that it would be a partnership service and would include provision justification and monitoring.

·       Concerns were raised about large number of children waiting at bus stops and being unable to get on the bus due to overcrowding leaving them in a vulnerable position.  Mr Robson confirmed that it would be carefully managed and would look at capacity of each supplier to ensure that suitable capacity would be provided.  Provisions at each bus stop would also be reviewed. 

·       Cabinet raised that while it was keen to promote independence and preparing young people for adulthood, there needed to be assurances that it would be closely monitored by BCC to ensure practical and safe.  Mr Robson confirmed that it would be a phased approach and would start with the most suitable areas that had already been tested.  Mr Robson also stated that it was about a broader community offer which would offer further services to the community, not just school children, in particular in rural areas, some of which had been disengaged. 

·       Cabinet asked that local members be kept informed throughout the process and when changes within their area were being made. 

·       A suggestion of live information at bus stops was highlighted so that school children would know if buses had been delayed.  Mr Robson stated that there was a bus disruption board available that sends messages out but it did need to be improved.  Mr Robson agreed to look into it. 

·       Officers were thanked for their work on the consultation, with a lot of data having been collected, analysed and considered.

The report set out the following recommendations:

1. To note the results of the consultation and agree the changes to Buckinghamshire’s Home to School Transport provision, in line with the recommended options summarised below and detailed in paragraph 12:

a) Transport for Post 16 pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability

i. Remove free transport for existing and new pupils.

ii. From September 2019, charges to be based on the distance from home to school as detailed within section 12.

iii. Increase provision of independent travel training for eligible young people aged between 16 and 18 years old.

b) Reduction of costs associated with our Home to School Transport offer

i. Review the cost of all paid for transport, including mainstream.

ii. Review unnecessary transport through rationalisation of routes and bus sizes.

iii. Remove commissioned transport where there is a viable public route.

c) Evreham and Ivinghoe arrangements

i. From September 2020, remove discretionary free transport for all new pupils only.

ii. Offer routes to commercial sector where appropriate.

2. To agree that the revised Home to School Transport Policy (Appendix 1), produced in consultation with parent carer representatives, is adopted.

3. To agree that the revised Post 16 Annual Transport Policy Statement (Appendix 3) setting out the Post 16 transport offer be adopted.

4. To agree to give delegated authority to the Executive Director for Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Transportation to:

a) Update and revise both the Home to School Transport Policy (Appendix 1) and the Post 16 Annual Transport Policy Statement (Appendix 3) and undertake consultation as and when required.

5. To agree that there should be a further review of the Post 16 Transport Policy in January 2020 to determine whether future policy changes are required.

RESOLVED: Cabinet AGREED the recommendations.