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6 Mar 08Consultation on School Transport
Parents and schools are being invited to comment on proposed changes to Poole's home to school transport service.
Borough of Poole currently provides some discretionary transport assistance for parents with children attending a grammar or denominational (church) school.
From September 2008, Government legislation will place new statutory duties on the council to provide free home to school transport for children of families on low incomes who live more than two miles from their school.
Borough of Poole will incur significant additional costs as a result of the new duties. To avoid recouping this cost through council tax, the council has to explore savings in its discretionary home to school transport scheme.
Under the proposals, existing bus services to grammar and denominational schools would continue, with parents asked to pay a charge towards the cost of their children's travel. Families on low incomes - those receiving the maximum level of Working Tax Credit or with children who are eligible for free school meals - would not have to pay a charge.
If Borough of Poole's home to school transport policy is amended as a result of the consultation, it will take effect from September 2009. This would allow appropriate information to be circulated to parents in the autumn term of 2008, before they express a preference for their child's school in the following academic year.
Pupils who currently receive discretionary home to school transport to either grammar or denominational schools will continue to do so until they leave their existing school and would be unaffected by the proposed changes.
Vicky Wales, Head of Children and Young People's Integrated Services, Borough of Poole, said: "New legislation requires local authorities to provide more home to school transport for families on a low income. To pay for this, savings have to be made elsewhere. We currently offer some non-compulsory transport to church schools and grammar schools and a consultation is taking place on whether or not charges should be introduced on these routes. Children currently receiving free transport would continue to do so until they leave their school and any new charges would not apply to families on a low income."
Cllr Tony Woodcock, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Children's Services, Borough of Poole, said: "The council has new statutory duties to provide assistance with transport for families on low income. The outcome of the current consultation will be carefully considered before any changes are made and it is important to stress that young people who currently receive free transport to school will not be affected."
Borough of Poole is staging a public meeting as part of public consultation on the proposals. The meeting will be held at the Civic Centre, Poole, on Tuesday March 11 at 7pm.
Alternatively, anyone wishing to express their views on the proposals, can do so by writing to: Beryl Stokes, Strategy Manager (Admissions, Exclusions and Education Awards), Children and Young People's Integrated Services, Borough of Poole, Dolphin Centre, Poole BH15 1SA, by Friday, March 21.
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