Decision details

To agree the fare paying from September 2017.

The Cabinet Member agrees:

1)  The increase for all fare paying and denominational transport from £300 to £480 per annum from September 2017.

2)  To retain the 50% subsidy for second or third children from families who have more than one child travelling and who are travelling as  fare paying or denominational passengers in 2016/17, until those children complete the current (either primary or secondary) phase of their education or become the sole fare paying pupil from that family (whichever occurs sooner).

3)  That this means that applications for fare-paying places for any child who was not already travelling in 2016/2017 will incur the full charge of £480 regardless of siblings.

4)  To retain the exemption for low income families travelling on fare paying and denominational transport.

5)  To review the charge annually. Increases will be agreed through the Council’s budget setting process.

The Council currently has an annual budget of £4.2m per annum for Home to School Transport. The budget in the current financial year is projected to overspend by £500,000. The proposed increase to the fare paying charge will help reduce this overspend.

Consideration was given to removing the 50% subsidy for all families travelling with more than one child and the exemption for low income families.

The current annual charge paid by a family with two children travelling is £450. Under the new charge this will increase to £960. This will currently affect 66 families.

The current annual charge paid by a family with three children travelling is £600. Under the new charge this will increase to £1440. This will currently affect 4 families.

It was felt the increase for existing fare-paying families was unreasonable and as they had already made their choice of school based on the lower charge they should be given protection at a subsidised rate.

Similarly it was felt the increase in charge for low income families was unreasonable and they should continue to be exempt from the charge.

The increase brings the Council charge more in line with those of our neighbouring authorities but continues to be significantly subsidised by the Council in comparison with the actual costs of the transport.

The fare paying charge only applies to children who do not qualify for free assistance with transport under the Council’s Policy. If parents choose to send their children to a school which is not the nearest to their home address the Council does not have responsibility to provide transport and the responsibility rests with the parents to ensure their children attend school.

To remove the 50% subsidy for all families travelling with more than one child and the exemption for low income families.