Draft Consultation Paper

Review of Discretionary Transport

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

FEBRUARY 2012

CONSULTATION ON

THE REVIEW OF DISCRETIONARY

HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT

· TRANSPORT TO VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH SCHOOLS

· TRANSPORT TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM RURAL AREAS

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL

CONSULTATION PAPER

REVIEW OF DISCRETIONARY TRANSPORT

INTRODUCTION

South Gloucestershire Council wishes to review the current arrangements for home to school travel to voluntary aided church schools and to certain primary schools from rural areas. As part of this process of review the council is conducting this public consultation about possible change.

All home to school transport is under regular scrutiny to ensure that council policies are fair for children and families and represent effective use of available resources. In the current year, the estimated cost of these discretionary transport arrangements is about £380,000 which is 8.7% of the total home to school transport budget.

The main point in this current review is the possible withdrawal of free transport for some children with effect from 1 September 2013.

We are seeking your views on this proposal. Your views will be taken into account before any decision is made.

The remainder of this consultation paper is divided into two parts:

A. Transport to Voluntary Aided Church Schools.

B. Transport to Primary Schools from Rural Areas.

HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY

Anyone who has a view on this proposed change is very welcome to put their views forward.

Responses/comments may be put forward in any of the following ways:

1. By completing and returning the attached questionnaire.

2. Email comments to: .

3. Write to:

Strategy, Access & Planning Admin

Department for Children & Young People

PO Box 2082, Council Offices

Castle Street, Thornbury

South Gloucestershire BS35 9BQ

Information about this consultation is also available on-line at www.southglos.gov.uk/consulatations

The closing date for the receipt of responses is Friday 27 April 2012.

A. TRANSPORT TO VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH SCHOOLS

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT GENERAL HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS?

In law, children of statutory school age (5-16 years) are entitled to home to school transport provision if:

· they attend the nearest appropriate school to home (as defined by the council);

· and the school is more than 2 miles (under 8 years of age) or more than 3 miles (8 years of age and over) as measured by the nearest available pedestrian route set out by the council.

Under a national scheme, children aged 11-16 years from low income families (entitled to free school meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit) are entitled to transport assistance to the nearest voluntary aided church school if the school is more than 2 miles from home and not more than 15 miles.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT TO VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH SCHOOLS?

There is no general legal entitlement to have transport provided to a voluntary aided church school even when that school is chosen by the family on religious grounds.

South Gloucestershire Council currently offers assistance on a discretionary basis where the child meets all the following requirements:

· the voluntary aided church school is the nearest school of that faith to home

· the child can demonstrate membership of that faith and is attending the church school on those grounds

· the walking route to the school is more than 2 miles (under 8 years of age) and more than 3 miles (8 years of age and over)

· the distance to school does not exceed 6 miles (primary schools) or 10 miles (secondary schools). (All distances are set out by the council).

Discretionary transport is currently provided to voluntary aided church schools even though there may be other schools nearer to home. Except in the case of low income families (entitled to free school meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit), the council is not required by law to provide this support. South Gloucestershire has provided this transport on a discretionary basis for many years. Depending on local circumstances, transport is provided by contract vehicles, bus or train passes or a contribution to mileage expenses.

WHY IS THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING A CHANGE IN THESE ARRANGEMENTS?

It can be argued that transport assistance to voluntary aided church schools is unfair to other children. The general rule is that transport is provided only to the nearest school. Some families may prefer a school other than the nearest for a variety of reasons, e.g. because it is single sex, selective or has particular curriculum approaches, but transport would not be given in these cases.

The council is required to consider the best use of funds available for education and other services. Home to school transport expenditure has to be met from the overall budget available. The council has a responsibility to consider whether discretionary expenditure on transport for one group of children is the best use of available funds.

Both regionally and nationally, other local authorities have removed, or are in the process of removing, discretionary transport to voluntary aided church schools.

HOW WOULD CHILDREN JOINING A VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH PRIMARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL ON OR AFTER 1 SEPTEMBER 2013 BE AFFECTED?

If discretionary support for travel to voluntary aided church schools is withdrawn with effect from 1September 2013, then children

· starting at primary school in Reception

· starting at secondary school in Year 7

· entering primary or secondary school in a higher year group

would not receive transport assistance. Arrangements for home to school journeys would be a parental responsibility. The only exceptions would be:

· children from low income families (entitled to free school meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit) attending voluntary aided church secondary schools as mentioned earlier

· any children where the voluntary aided church school is also the nearest school to home under the general transport rules.

HOW WOULD CHILDREN ALREADY ATTENDING A VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH PRIMARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER 2013 BE AFFECTED?

Children already receiving transport support to voluntary aided church primary or secondary schools would continue to have assistance with transport until they leave the primary or secondary school attended. This might take the form of seats on contract vehicles, bus or train passes or a contribution to mileage expenses.

However, those children will no longer be eligible for free transport and with effect from 1 September 2013 a contributory charge for that transport would be introduced.

This would be the same as the charge made for non-entitled children attending other schools who are able to use spare seats on transport provided by the council for entitled passengers.

The proposed charge in September 2013 would be £120 per term (on the basis of 3 terms per year). Travel on council provided transport would be dependent on paying the contributory charge. The charge would be reviewed annually.

No charge would be made in the case of children from low income families (entitled to free school meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit), but an annual check would be made to ensure that families were still eligible.

WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN MOVING HOUSE?

From 1 September 2013, children moving house and attending a voluntary aided church school would not normally be provided with transport from their new address.

WOULD ANY SPARE SEATS BE AVAILABLE ON VEHICLES SERVING VOLUNTARY AIDED CHURCH SCHOOLS?

Where there are any vehicles provided by the council to transport children to any schools, and there are spare seats, the council will allow the use of those seats on payment of a charge.

This arrangement also applies to vehicles serving voluntary aided church schools. After 1September 2013, children travelling to church schools who are not entitled to have transport will be considered for any spare places on the basis of paying a contributory charge. The charge in September 2013 will be £120 per term on the basis of 3 terms per year.

Concessionary use of spare seats is not guaranteed. Any concessionary seat granted may be withdrawn if it is needed for an entitled child or if the vehicle or route is changed.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

A change in existing transport policy would require a formal decision taken by the Executive Councillor for Children and Young People. This decision would be based on a full report which would include the views received in response to this consultation. It is anticipated that this decision will be considered in July 2012.

If the council agrees to any change it would be implemented with effect from 1September 2013. Details of the change would be published in September 2012 with all the school admission details applying to those starting or changing schools in September 2013 and later.

B. TRANSPORT TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM RURAL AREAS

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT GENERAL HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS?

In law, children of statutory school age (5-16 years) are entitled to home to school transport provision if:

· they attend the nearest appropriate school to home (as defined by the council)

· and the school is more than 2 miles (under 8 years of age) or more than 3 miles (8 years of age and over) as measured by the nearest available pedestrian route set out by the council.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRANSPORT TO CERTAIN PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM RURAL AREAS

South Gloucestershire Council currently offers assistance with transport in the following cases:

· from the Badminton area to Trinity Primary School in Acton Turville

· from the Tytherington area to St Helen’s Primary School in Alveston

· from the Westerleigh area to Pucklechurch Primary School.

These are exceptional arrangements made outside the normal home to school transport budget and maintained by the council. However, the children receiving transport assistance under these arrangements are not entitled to home transport provided under the general home to school transport arrangements set out above. The provision is discretionary.

WHY IS THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING A CHANGE IN THESE ARRANGEMENTS?

The transport provision in these three exceptional areas dates back many years, and came about as a result of school closures and school reorganisation. The children of primary school age who were affected at the time have long since moved on.

These three areas are the only areas currently provided with discretionary transport assistance. There are other locations in South Gloucestershire, rural, urban and suburban, where families do not receive similar help. It can be argued that arrangements should now be amended to be consistent in the interests of fairness.

HOW WOULD CHILDREN JOINING A PRIMARY SCHOOL ON OR AFTER 1SEPTEMBER 2013 BE AFFECTED?

If discretionary support for travel to primary schools from rural areas is withdrawn with effect from 1 September 2013, then children:

· starting at primary school In Reception

· entering primary school in a higher year group

would not receive transport. Arrangements for home to school journeys would be a parental responsibility.

HOW WOULD CHILDREN ALREADY ATTENDING PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THESE AREAS IN SEPTEMBER 2013 BE AFFECTED?

Children already receiving transport support to a primary school under the rural arrangements would continue to have assistance with transport until they leave the primary school attended.

However, with effect from 1 September 2013 a contributory charge for that transport support would be introduced.

This would be the same as the charge made for children attending other schools who are able to use spare seats on transport provided by the council for entitled passengers.

The proposed charge in September 2013 would be £120 per term (on the basis of 3 terms per year). Travel on council provided transport would be dependent on paying the contributory charge.

WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN MOVING HOUSE?

From 1 September 2013, children moving house and attending a primary school would not normally be provided with transport from their new address.

WOULD ANY SPARE SEATS BE AVAILABLE ON VEHICLES SERVING PRIMARY SCHOOLS?

Where there are any vehicles provided by the council to transport children to any schools, and there are spare seats, the council will allow the use of those seats on payment of a charge.

This arrangement applies to vehicles serving primary schools. After 1 September 2013, children travelling to primary schools who are not entitled to have transport will be considered for any spare places on the basis of paying a charge. The charge in September 2013 will be £120 per term on the basis of 3 terms per year.

Concessionary use of spare seats is not guaranteed. Any concessionary seat granted may be withdrawn if it is needed for an entitled child or if the vehicle or route is changed.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?