THE axe will fall on free school buses for hundreds of Warrington children in September.
Changes have been made to the discretional elements of the borough council’s mainstream home-to-school transport policy to save up to £180,000-a-year.
The revisions were agreed by the council’s executive board in the autumn, but amendments have been made in response to feedback received in a wide-ranging public consultation.
Cllr Colin Froggatt (pictured), executive member for children and young people’s services said: “We made amendments to our original plans based on feedback but unfortunately this council is continuing to have to make some very tough decisions about its spending due to national government cuts in local authority funding.”
Affected pupils and families will be receiving letters from the council’s school transport team to explain the changes after the Easter holiday.
But the council will be continuing to provide some free transport in addition to that it is legally required to provide.
1. Pupils moving in to years 10 and 11 in September will continue to receive discretionary transport assistance until the end of the 2014-15 academic year so as not to disrupt their GCSE education.
2. Low income families will still qualify for discretionary support as it is very likely they will find it difficult to meet the costs of transport.
3. Pupils already receiving free transport will continue to do so when there aren’t sufficient places available at suitable schools within walking distance of their home.
Axe falls on free school buses
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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Ah, but when things are called “free”, they aren’t really free, somebody, normally the hard pressed taxpayer, foots the bill. In this case “free” actually costs the taxpayer £180,000.