Agenda item

To consider and endorse the final report of Education Scrutiny Committee, looking at home to school transport services, to enable it to go to the Executive on 24 April 2007, as planned.

Members considered the draft final report of the Education Scrutiny Committee in relation to the home to school transport services review.  Members were informed that Education Scrutiny Committee had investigated the contracts for home to school transport and considered whether it would be possible to introduce higher quality buses and improve safety. 

It was understood that the final draft would be considered by Education Scrutiny Committee on 28 March 2007.  SMC was considering it earlier on this occasion to enable the report to be submitted to the Executive on 24 April 2007. 

Members discussed the overarching principles and made the following comments:

• Future consideration might need to be given to applying the recommendations to secondary schools depending upon the proposals contained in forthcoming legislation; and

• The reference in recommendation 2, paragraph ( c ) to CRB checks should be amended to read “within the last 3 years”.

RESOLVED:             That the draft final report be endorsed for submission to the Executive, subject to the above comments and any revisions made by the Education Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 March 2007.