Senior councillors have pledged to ensure the fairest system for all parents across North Yorkshire following a debate on the authority’s revised home to school transport policy.
North Yorkshire Council has introduced the new policy to make sure that frontline services can be protected due to the escalating costs of providing home to school transport.
It is one of the three largest areas of expenditure, now costing the council £52.5 million a year – alongside adult social care and waste management.
The council’s revised home to school transport policy replaced the previous system which offered the choice of travel to the nearest school or the child’s catchment area school.
A motion which called for a potential U-turn of the policy failed to get executive support earlier today (Wednesday, May 21).
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said: “We adopted this policy last year to ensure that we can provide the fairest system possible for all parents, while facing such significant rises in the cost of providing the service.
“We listened to people’s views and consulted widely on the proposals before the new policy was introduced.
“However, we are one of the highest spending local authorities in the country on home to school transport. We can no longer afford to offer eligibility for travel to more than one school.”
She added: “Our home to school transport policy does not directly affect where children go to school – that is still the choice of the parent or carer and we will ensure all eligible children access free travel.”
The policy, which was given the go-ahead at an executive meeting in July last year, included free transport for eligible pupils to the nearest school to their home address.
It also provides support for travel to a child who lives within the statutory walking distance to their nearest suitable school if the route has been assessed as “unsafe” and there is no other alternative route below the statutory walking distance.
All routes used to take pupils to school will be risk assessed, and discretionary powers have been extended for the eligibility of travel assistance for secondary age pupils from low-income families to attend one of their three nearest suitable schools within two to 12 miles. This is to reflect the rural context of the county and ensure low-income families in rural areas are supported.
The elected member for the council’s Stokesley division and the leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Cllr Bryan Griffiths called for an extraordinary meeting which was held today (May 21) and proposed a motion that the current home to school transport policy be revised and return to the previous catchment system.
The motion was seconded by North Yorkshire councillor for the Coppice Valley and Duchy division, Cllr Peter Lacey.
However, the motion was voted down by ten votes (35 for, 45 against and four abstain).
The deputy leader of the council, Cllr Gareth Dadd, said: “The new policy is fairer to all families, responsible and affordable. It brings us in line with many other councils. Unfortunately, a more generous officer is not longer an option.
“I would like to stress that parents and carers in North Yorkshire still have a choice as to where their send their children. It is important for them to factor in travel costs if they choose a school that is not their nearest to their home.”
Families of pupils starting new schools in September who are waiting to hear if their eligible for free travel to and from school will find out a decision over the coming weeks.
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for inclusion, Amanda Fielding, said: “Parents and carers of children due to start secondary schools in North Yorkshire this September will find out if their child is eligible for free school travel by Friday, May 30.
“Parents and carers of primary school aged pupils will find out no later than Monday, June 30. This information has been communicated in letters to families on the respective National Offer Days in March and April.”
