Schools impacted by a possible change in Central Bedfordshire Council’s home to school transport policy “aren’t sponging off the local authority” to top up their budgets, a meeting heard.
A suggestion schools within the Pyramid Schools Trust rely on the council to provide transport to support the trust’s business model was dismissed by a local councillor.
A consultation event on proposed changes to CBC’s mainstream home to school transport policy is due to be held at Barton Rovers Football Club in Sharpenhoe Road on Thursday (19 June).
Cllr Steve Owen (Independent, Leighton Linslade West) told CBC’s sustainable communities overview and scrutiny committee, the executive considered “there wasn’t enough information about the impact of making changes and the savings” in a previous report.
“If the change is made, it could eventually save something close to £4m a year,” he explained. “It would be tapered and wouldn’t affect the current arrangements for children.
“After three or four years, this saving would amount to quite a big figure. We’d be falling into line with policies of all the surrounding councils.”
Cllr Anna French (Independent, Barton-le-Clay and Silsoe) warned about the viability of some local schools if the policy changes, saying, “I don’t think we’ve had those concerns addressed, as the same issues keep coming back to us.
“We deserve a proper answer on these questions to reassure schools. There’s also a query over the direct saving and whether it will be achieved through the measures.”
Executive member for children’s services and community safety, Cllr Owen said he plans to attend the consultation event in Barton-le-Clay.
CBC’s assistant director for public protection and transport Sue Childerhouse added, “All we’re changing is transporting children to their nearest school, not the catchment.
“There’s nothing to stop parents sending a child to a school which isn’t their nearest. We spend £1.4m transporting pupils to the Pyramid Schools Trust group. This is relying on CBC providing transport to support its business model.”
Cllr French replied, “These schools educating our kids aren’t sponging off us for transport money.
“That’s the bit which is missing. If there’s a concern our schools will become unviable because of these changes, we need to make absolutely sure that doesn’t happen.
“Who gains from that? We’ve brand new buildings for a specific number of children and we’re just going to pull the rug out from under the schools. We need proper analysis of this to ensure our schools can function.
“We should ensure what we’re doing doesn’t have damaging negative consequences, and we haven’t been convinced that won’t be the case or been shown the evidence.”
Cllr John Baker (Independent, Aspley and Woburn) suggested, “If the policy was implemented from this September, 659 pupils or 1.5 percent would be affected.
“The other 98.5 percent would see no change. So these 659 pupils aren’t going to their nearest school. If they were, they wouldn’t be eligible for school transport.
“That’s costing about £2m a year or 0.9 percent of all council tax income. Every household is paying £17 towards those children. Financially, it’s utterly disproportionate for council taxpayers. What’s proposed is a phasing of this process.”
By Euan Duncan
Local Democracy Reporter
