Hard-pressed council to discuss future of some school transport

free school transport for five- to 16-year-olds attending faith schools in the Wakefield district could be under threat as the local authority grapples with budget cutbacks.

Senior councillors in the city will meet next week to discuss a report which recommends that public views are collected on a proposal to withdraw discretionary home to school transport on the basis of religion and belief from September 2013.

Wakefield Council has no statutory obligation to provide this service – except for families on low incomes – and the provision is being reviewed as the council continues to look at ways to save £67m in the next three years.

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Currently 778 children receive this entitlement – 630 via a free bus pass for use on public transport and the remainder on school buses provided by the local authority.

The children affected mostly attend St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School, St Thomas a Becket Catholic High School, St Austin’s Catholic Primary, Holy Family & St Michael’s Catholic Primary School and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary in Pontefract, with a small number attending other faith schools.

A report to members of the council’s cabinet committee, which meets on Tuesday, says: “Historically parents in Wakefield have received free home to school transport which allows their child to attend their nearest denominational school based on their religion and belief.

“Whilst the LA (local authority) has statutory obligations to provide such transport to low income families it currently provides this on a discretionary basis to all families attending faith schools.”

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The report says that the move could save the authority a maximum of £302,651.

Last night, Elaine McHale, the council’s corporate director for family services said no decision would be taken by the authority until after the outcome of any consultation with parents, schools and transport companies.

“The council is facing some very difficult decisions in making the savings we have to make by 2014. While we understand that attendance at a faith school is extremely important for many families, we must also look at whether we can afford to continue this free service in our current financial circumstances.

“But first of all it is important for us to speak to those parents, schools and transport providers who would be directly affected and no decision will be taken until we have done so.”

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The report adds: “The LA has discretionary powers to make arrangements for children who are not entitled to free home to school transport to facilitate their attendance at school.

“There is no requirement for those discretionary arrangements to be provided free of charge.”

The report, prepared for members, says some local authorities have already cut these services.

It says demand for faith schools may fall if parents feel they can not meet the cost of transport or cannot take the child to school themselves.

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Its research shows that at one local authority which has slashed funding, admissions fell by five per cent. But at another, council chiefs discovered that there was no change in admission numbers.

The report says the current policy can lead to inequalities in schools – at St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School, 52 per cent of the 20/11 intake was not from a religious background and did not qualify for free transport.

Council bosses say this creates a two-tier system within a particular school.

They are recommending councillors give the go-ahead to a public consultation.

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If backed, public talks would be held from October 31 to December 9 and a further report will then be presented to cabinet in the new year, following the public consultation, before any decision is taken.