AXED: Plan to charge disabled kids for buses

PLANS to charge parents of Salford children with disabilities and special educational needs for their transport to nursery have been scrapped.

But a charge of £510 per year will be imposed on 16 to 19-year-olds who use council-funded buses to get to college.

And some children with disabilities and special needs currently provided with school transport will be given training to travel alone as part of Salford town hall’s bid to save money.

Of the 1,000-plus parents who responded to a council consultation on a range of measures with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), 86 per cent disagreed with the nursery transport plan. Some 76pc disagreed with the proposal to charge college students for transport.

Mayor Paul Dennett has now dropped the nursery plan.

It comes after another outcry over plans to close five council-run nurseries in the city.

The nurseries have been given a stay of execution until at least July next year. The town hall is looking at other ways to fund them.

A third of the parents who responded to the transport consultation said it could mean financial difficulties.

Others raised concerns about safety – and students not attending college if they have to make their own way there.

A report presented council’s cabinet potential risks.

“[The proposal] may lead to a drop in attendance for post-16 students with an education health and care plan,” it reads.

Officers also concede the plan to charge parents could have an ‘effect on low-income families.’

More than £11m was cut from the town hall’s budget earlier this month. The council says it will to the identifies invest in support to help young people with special education needs and disabilities learn how to travel ‘confidently where possible, helping prepare them for employment or further training.’

Charlotte Ramsden, strategic director for people at Salford council, said: “Salford was one of the few councils in Greater Manchester who offered fullyfunded travel budgets for children with special educational needs.

“But with our budget situation, we have reluctantly agreed to review the transport so we can support those with the highest needs.

“It is a decision we do not want to make. But with our budget cuts we have to make changes.

“We will now ask parents of students aged 16 to 19 to make a contribution towards the cost of local authority transport, bringing us in line with other local authorities.”