School transport funding changes upheld after vote

Councillors have rejected calls to scrap changes to a new home-to-school transport funding policy.

North Yorkshire Council voted last year to only pay for transport to a child's nearest school, rather than using school catchment areas as had previously happened.

Opposition councillors and parents had called for the policy change to be reversed, resulting in fresh vote on the issue at a meeting earlier.

However, the motion was defeated by ten votes, with a council spokesperson later stating that pupils starting new schools in September would find out if they are eligible for free travel in the coming weeks.

Ahead of the meeting councillors were met by a group of about 100 people protesting against the policy outside County Hall in Northallerton, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council had said it hoped the policy - due to come into effect in September - would deliver savings of up to £4.2m a year.

But campaigners argued the new system may actually cost money to implement, and was damaging to pupils, schools and rural communities.

The council said home-to-school transport was one of its three largest areas of expenditure, alongside adult social care and waste management.

A spokesperson added that the decision to change the policy was aimed at protecting frontline services.

Deputy leader Gareth Dadd said the new policy was "fairer to all families, responsible and affordable".

"Unfortunately, a more generous offer is no longer an option," he said.

"I would like to stress that parents and carers in North Yorkshire still have a choice as to where to send their children.

"It is important for them to factor in travel costs if they choose a school that is not the nearest to their home."

However, one parent speaking after the meeting said she now faced having to pay about £800 a year for her daughter to attend the same school as her son.

Another parent, Charlotte Fowler, said: "Shame on all those councillors who have let down North Yorkshire's children today.

"They had a chance to put things right and they blew it. By choosing to keep a broken system in place the council has left children isolated, parents burdened, and schools uncertain about their future."

Families of children due to start secondary school in September will find out if their child is eligible for free school travel by 30 May and those due to start primary school will find out by 30 June, the council has confirmed.

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