Council pulls back from cuts to catholic school transport
Wednesday, 4th May 2011.
Parents of children at Catholic schools will probably not now face a massive increase in the cost of school transport due to a county council cut.
Thanks to Government money, Suffolk County Council has done a U-turn and is proposing not to axe transport to Catholic schools or for those studying post-16 courses.
Proposals to remove the financial support for school transport the council provides to young people attending Suffolk’s Roman Catholic schools, or studying for post 16 qualifications, have been revised following the announcement of extra funding from Government and a local consultation on the issue.
The council is to receive additional funding over the next two years, which means that cost-saving proposals set out in the council’s recent consultation on home-to-school transport have been amended.
Now, instead of removing entirely the subsidy the council provides for transport for Roman Catholic students and increasing the cost for post 16 students to £200 per term, there will be a £20 increase in the price of bus passes to £150 per term.
There will be no changes in the eligibility criteria for passes for 2011/12 - so no student already studying, or with a place offered to start in September 2011, on a school, sixth form or college course should need to give up their studies or move to another school due to the cost of transport.
A decision on the new proposals will be made by Suffolk County Council’s cabinet on May 24.
The announcement today follows a six-week consultation aimed at finding ways of reducing the cost of school transport by £700,000 a year. The council received around 350 responses to the consultation – many of which expressed their concerns about the proposed changes.
Simon White, Suffolk County Council’s director for children and young people, said: “We understood very well from the consultation that, while parents and carers understood the need to make savings, they were concerned about the impact of any potential changes.
"We’re delighted to say that, with the help of this extra funding from Government, parents, carers and students should not need to change their plans for the coming school year.”
From September 2012 onwards, young people transferring to a new Roman Catholic school will not be able to apply for a home-to-school bus pass, except those who qualify on the present low income criteria.
The council will however be able to assist those families who wish to set up their own arrangements for transport.
Thanks to Government money, Suffolk County Council has done a U-turn and is proposing not to axe transport to Catholic schools or for those studying post-16 courses.
Proposals to remove the financial support for school transport the council provides to young people attending Suffolk’s Roman Catholic schools, or studying for post 16 qualifications, have been revised following the announcement of extra funding from Government and a local consultation on the issue.
The council is to receive additional funding over the next two years, which means that cost-saving proposals set out in the council’s recent consultation on home-to-school transport have been amended.
Now, instead of removing entirely the subsidy the council provides for transport for Roman Catholic students and increasing the cost for post 16 students to £200 per term, there will be a £20 increase in the price of bus passes to £150 per term.
There will be no changes in the eligibility criteria for passes for 2011/12 - so no student already studying, or with a place offered to start in September 2011, on a school, sixth form or college course should need to give up their studies or move to another school due to the cost of transport.
A decision on the new proposals will be made by Suffolk County Council’s cabinet on May 24.
The announcement today follows a six-week consultation aimed at finding ways of reducing the cost of school transport by £700,000 a year. The council received around 350 responses to the consultation – many of which expressed their concerns about the proposed changes.
Simon White, Suffolk County Council’s director for children and young people, said: “We understood very well from the consultation that, while parents and carers understood the need to make savings, they were concerned about the impact of any potential changes.
"We’re delighted to say that, with the help of this extra funding from Government, parents, carers and students should not need to change their plans for the coming school year.”
From September 2012 onwards, young people transferring to a new Roman Catholic school will not be able to apply for a home-to-school bus pass, except those who qualify on the present low income criteria.
The council will however be able to assist those families who wish to set up their own arrangements for transport.
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