Proposal to charge special-needs children for transport is backed
A MOVE to charge special-needs and disabled (SEND) children for transport to school has received the backing of a council’s leadership, despite the threat of High Court action over the plan.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive unanimously recommended the meeting of the full authority on May 16 approves asking parents of SEND pupils to pay £490 annually for hometo-school transport and £245 for those on low incomes.
The meeting at County Hall, in Northallerton, heard concerns about the proposals, which also include increasing the mileage allowance for parents to drive children to school.
Campaigners told the meeting the proposed charges equated to one and a half months’ mobility allowance for young people, who were already using the funding for medical appointments, family visits and short breaks.
Coun Mike Jordan, chairman of the authority’s transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee, said its members also had deep concerns about the proposals.
He said the committee would support the changes on the understanding that low-income families would be protected and that the council’s budget be reexamined before removing free transport for special-needs children.
The meeting heard the move was designed to bring charges for SEND pupils into line with those for mainstream pupils and in doing so save the council about £57,000 a year by 2021.
Children’s services executive member Coun Janet Sanderson said: “Some people say these savings are insignificant. But after several years of austerity it’s very hard to make savings.”
The council said if no action was taken the SEND transport service, which has a budget of £5m, would soar from £8m to £30m by 2025.
The meeting heard solicitors for campaign group Save Centre Services North Yorkshire (SCSNY) had outlined allegations that the consultation was unlawful and subject to legal challenge through judicial review.
Officers said the council believed the campaigners had misinterpreted the proposals and that it did not believe the consultation had been flawed. After the meeting, Kerry Fox said SCSNY was gathering evidence for legal action.