Kids’ safety query after collapse of firm in city
The city council takes its safeguarding responsibility very seriously
Council spokesperson
THE collapse of a major school transport firm in Birmingham has prompted questions as to whether vulnerable children were put at risk.
The city council has been investigating the circumstances which led to Accessible Transport Group (ATG) falling into administration earlier this year. But the publication of its findings has been delayed due to the pre-election ‘purdah’ period kicking in.
Shadow children’s wellbeing chief Coun Alex Yip (Con, Sutton Wylde Green) accused the Labour-run council of putting its reputation before the safety of children. He said: “We must know whether some of our city’s most vulnerable children have been put at risk in the most unacceptable way.
“As elected representatives we need to know that everything is being done to safeguard children, whilst parents also have a right to know if failures to carry out basic checks have meant their children have been placed in situations where they were at risk.”
Coun Meirion Jenkins (Con, Sutton Mere Green), a member of the Audit committee due to discuss the investigation outcome, added: “Purdah is there to protect tax payers’ money from being used to influence voting intention, not to slow down vitally important pieces of work such as this and certainly not to save the administration from embarrassment.”
But the council has responded saying that any issues identified are being dealt with regardless of whether the report had come out yet. A spokeswoman said: “The city council takes its safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously including those related to its home-to-school transport service – this hasn’t changed just because a committee meeting has been postponed as a result of government guidance on conduct during the forthcoming general election. It is important to clarify that regardless of publication any issues raised in the report are being addressed.”
ATG had provided 210 routes for the city council transporting around 2,100 children throughout Birmingham per day as part of a contract worth £5 million per a year.
It collapsed in March
but
the council agreed two contract extensions with administrators to ensure the authority fulfilled its statutory obligations around transporting schoolchildren, many of whom have special needs.
A new contract was awarded National Express in July.
A cabinet meeting that month heard that ATG’s operating costs were “not sustainable” and that certain service standards had not been met, including around “vehicle compliance” and “child safeguarding”.
Coun Rob Alden (Erdington), leader of the Conservative group, revealed that the ATG contract had been extended seven times in total since it was first awarded in 2009 and argued it should have been properly re-procured at some point.
In response, Coun Kate Booth (Lab, Quinton), cabinet member for children’s wellbeing, said that her priority at coming into the post was to scrutinise the home to school contract.
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