Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval for a revised home to school transport policy that will come into operation from 1 September 2008. The policy reflects the new statutory  responsibilities placed on Local Authorities as a result of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

1. Approve the Home to School Transport Policy as set out in Annex A of this report.
2. Note that the Authority is required to develop a strategy that promotes a sustainable travel and transport infrastructure meeting the needs of children and young people (paragraph 6 and 7 of the report). Progress will be reported to EMAP later this year.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To implement new statutory duties arising from the Education and Inspections Act (2006).

Members considered a report that sought their approval for a revised home to school transport policy that would come into operation from 1^st September 2008. The policy reflected the new statutory responsibilities placed on Local Authorities as a result of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. This Act places additional responsibilities on local authorities and extends the right to free transport for a new group of ‘eligible children’. The following new statutory requirements had been incorporated within the proposed revised policy:

·        The provision that children aged eight, but under age 11 from loc income families must have travel arrangements made where they live more than two miles from their nearest qualifying school (Part A Paragraph 4.2 of the City of York Council Home to School Transport Policy 2008/2009).

·        The provision that children of compulsory school age who are 11 or over from low income families must have travel arrangements made to one of their three nearest qualifying schools, where they live more than two miles, but not more than six miles from that school (Part A Paragraph 4.4 of the City of York Council Home to School Transport Policy 2008/2009).

·        Extensions to the right to free transport for all children from low income groups of compulsory school age who are 11 or over in two ways – to a choice of schools within six miles of the child’s home, and to the nearest school preferred by reason of a parent’s religion or belief up to a maximum of 15 miles from the child’s home (Part C Paragraph 2.20 of the City of York Council Home to School Transport Policy 2008/2009).

The revised policy also includes guidance on transport arrangements for pupils with special educational needs, removal of transport for unruly behaviour whilst using the transport and a general duty set out in the Act for local authorities to promote the use of sustainable transport.

Members were presented with the following options:

Option 1        To approve the revised transport policy attached as Annex A to the report.

Option 2        Members to propose changes to the revised policy attached as Annex A to the report.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

1. Approve the Home to School Transport Policy as set out in Annex A of this report. ¹
2. Note that the Authority is required to develop a strategy that promotes a sustainable travel and transport infrastructure meeting the needs of children and young people (paragraph 6 and 7 of the report). Progress will be reported to EMAP later this year.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To implement new statutory duties arising from the Education and Inspections Act (2006).