Decision details

Purpose of Report: The report presents proposals to reduce expenditure on home to school transport. The proposals relate to dedicated home to school transport services, and SEN post-16 and SEN 19-25 transport provision.

Members will be asked to agree the proposals as detailed in the report, relating to the areas detailed above.

Resolved:  That Executive approve:

(i)      Paragraph 11 (b) of the report, to continue to provide a dedicated home to school transport service to Manor CE Academy for eligible pupils until July 2017, with non-eligible pupils having the option to purchase a concessionary seat at the current cost of £380. 

and :

·                   That Manor CE Academy will contribute £13,280 (50% of the shortfall between the cost of the seat and the concessionary fare for non-eligible pupils) towards this service;

·                   That from September 2017 City of York Council will no longer provide dedicated home to school bus services to Manor CE Academy;

·                   That parent/carers and the school will have16 months to consider alternative arrangements to get pupils to and from school. The Local Authority will provide advice and support in this process.

(i)           The option as set out in paragraph 18(a) of the report - to continue to provide a dedicated home to school bus service to St Wilfrid’s RC Primary School for both eligible and non eligible pupils (who will pay a concessionary fare) for 2016/17 but withdraw the dedicated home to school bus service from July 2017, replacing it with the offer of a mileage allowance to parent/carers of eligible pupils. 

(ii)          The option as set out in paragraph 24 (b) of the report - To begin consultation on implementing Personalised Transport Budgets (PTB’s) at an enhanced rate for all Special Educational Need Post -16 and 19-25 young people who are eligible for assistance with transport, on a rolling programme from September 2016 onwards.  This would achieve savings of £32,812 for the 2016/17 financial year, based on 50% of eligible young people being transferred to PTB’s from September 2016. 

Reason:      (i)     This option will provide savings of £24,346 for the 2016/17 financial year and will maintain the current provision of the dedicated home to school bus services for both eligible and non-eligible pupils.

(ii)          This will ensure provision of transport for eligible pupils but will achieve a saving of £5,220 for the 2016/17 financial year and £16,000 for the 2017/18 financial year. 

(iii)        To maintain support for transport for these students but enable a reduction in expenditure.