Decision details

Proposed decision:

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills:

To agree the Transport Policy for Children and Young People aged 4 to 16 with effect from the 2024/2025 academic year.

Background

The new Home to School Transport Policy formalises how KCC identifies who meets the national criteria for free home to school transport for all mainstream and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) pupils aged 4 to 16 and highlights KCC’s commitment to providing suitable transport. It explains what additional transport support KCC will provide and how this will be achieved. The Policy is planned to come into effect from the 2024-25 academic year. There are no proposed changes to the current eligibility criteria.

This Policy will apply to all families living within KCC’s administrative boundary, including those children and young people (CYP) who attend mainstream or special schools in other Local Authority areas. The Policy will apply to all CYP in this age range including those with a disability and where appropriate, those who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 

Financial Implications:

In 2022-23, the estimated total revenue costs to KCC of providing free transport to school for eligible Pre-16 learners was over £55m of which just over £9m was spent on transporting mainstream children and around £46m related to the transportation of eligible children with Special Educational Needs.

The proposed transport policy for CYP aged 4 to 16 is expected to have minimal financial impact. The proposed changes are intended to normalise several schemes, including Personal Transport Budgets and school led transport arrangements, which have been in operation for a number of years in a pilot capacity. It is also anticipated that there will be a reduction in the administration requirement of holding appeals when agreeing eligibility in specific circumstances. Associated costs with these schemes and eligibility criteria are already reflected in both the Mainstream and Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport budgets. The associated administration saving will be negligible.

The widening of the Personal Transport Budgets to include mainstream pupils, formalising school led transport and exploring the Cycle Bursary Scheme could lead to some future cost savings. The level of savings will be determined by future take-up of the schemes by parents & schools. A separate paper will be presented to CYPE Cabinet Committee at a future date to explore the further development of school led transport initiatives.  

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, I agree the Transport Policy for Children and Young People aged 4 to 16 with effect from the 2024/25 Academic Year.