RESIDENTS have given the thumbs down to Thurrock Council’s plans to introduce charges for school transport for children over 16 with special educational needs and disabilities SEND).
The cash-strapped council has launched a host of cost cutting measures and unsurprisingly a consultation on a more than £80 a month contribution from parents to school transport has not been popular
Of the 56 responses, to a post 16 contribution, 43 were against the plan which will see even those on low incomes charged £40 a month.
The post 16 transport service is not a statutory one for the council and scrapping it will save £37,000. If agreed it will be implemented from September. The council has a statutory duty to make home to school travel arrangements, free of charge, for other eligible children aged five to 16.
A report to the children’s services overview and scrutiny and committee, said “The council is experiencing increased pressure on the budget available for Home to School Transport. Currently the council has funded all SEND Post 16 transport.
However, given the increase in children with Education and Health Care Plans and an increase in the number of eligible children requiring travel support that are of statutory school age, the Council must remain within its allocated budget and is therefore proposing parents contribute towards their young person’s travel at Post 16 as the Council does not have a statutory duty to provide free travel for young people between the age of 16 to 19 years.”
The council’s SEND and Mainstream Home to School Travel and Transport Policies 2024-2025 for statutory school age pupils aged 5 to 16 years includes plans to scrap a rule that currently sees children have to change schools if a place become available nearer to their homes. The council said it recognises this causes disruption to children’s education.
Plans are proposed for a travel assistance budget which “gives families the freedom to make decisions and arrangements about how their child/young person will get to and from school or college each day”.
Of the 106 people who responded to a consultation on the travel assistance budget, 78 called for it to be included in the transport policy.
If implemented, it would see parents paid 45p per mile to drive their children to school.
The committee is due to discuss the proposals tomorrow.
