Monday, 5 March 2012
New threat to Westerleigh-Pucklechurch school transport
Conservative-run South Gloucestershire Council is once again looking to remove the free school transport from Westerleigh to Pucklechurch. Under the plans, which you can read more about on the Council's website, children that currently use the service would be forced to pay a fare of £360 per year from September 2013 if they wanted to continue to use it. Parents would be responsible for transporting new pupils to school, unless spare seats were available. No charge would be made for low income families.
The proposals would only effect children travelling to Pucklechurch School. There would be no change for any children travelling to the nearest primary school in Yate, who are entitled to transport due to there being no safe route to school.
The changes are part of a review that would also see an end to free transport to denominational schools.
You have until 27th April to comment on the plans. You can do that online, email comments to SAPAdmin@southglos.gov.uk or write to Strategy, Access & Planning AdminDepartment for Children & Young People, PO Box 2082, Castle Street, Thornbury BS35 9BQ. Please let Claire know your views too. This issue will be discussed at the Children and Young People's Select Committee meeting which starts at 2pm on Wednesday 7 March in Kingswood Civic Centre. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
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2 comments:
Does this proposal have anything to do with the £43million savings/cuts package over the next 3 years which the Lib Dems supported at the recent Full Council meeting ?
We made it clear when proposing our amendment that frontline services should be prioritised that as the transformation reviews came forward we would be scrutinising them. This particular proposal raises a number of questions, not least whether it will actually make any savings. Children would still be entitled to free transport to the nearest primary school, in Yate, due to the lack of a safe walking route and very high administration costs are being quoted for the discretionary fare scheme.
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