AGENDA ITEM 8
BOROUGH OF POOLE
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
22 MAY 2008
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES ON HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT
PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN?: NO
1. / PURPOSE1.1 / To inform the Children’s Services Overview Group of the results of the consultation on the introduction of a charging policy for discretionary transport provided to denominational and grammar schools.
1.2 / To provide Members with options relating to the proposed charging policy.
2. / DECISIONS REQUIRED
2.1 / The Children’s Services Overview Group is requested to recommend Cabinet to approve:
i) the withdrawal of free discretionary transport for pupils attending grammar schools (they may still be entitled if it is one of their three nearest schools). (The Borough of Poole may be liable for applications from children attending Bournemouth grammar schools if it is not withdrawn).
ii) the withdrawal of free discretionary transport for pupils attending denominational schools (they may be entitled to assistance under statute post-age 11).
iii) the maintenance of existing contracted bus services but with a charging policy being introduced with effect from September 2009.
iv) a future review of charges for any other concessionary travel (eg post-16) to ensure consistency across all ages.
v) that officers redraft the Borough of Poole’s home to school transport policy in the light of any decisions made with reference to the points above.
3. / BACKGROUND INFORMATION
3.1 / Reports outlining the proposed detail of the consultation were submitted to CSOG meetings in June and December 2007.
3.2 / The official consultation period ran from 18 February 2008 to 14 March 2008.
3.3 / Letters were sent to the following groups inviting them to comment:
· Headteachers/Chairs of Governors in all Poole secondary schools
· Headteachers/Chairs of Governors in all Poole primary denominational schools
· Headteachers/Chairs of Governors in any grammar or denominational school outside Poole with pupils benefiting from the current discretionary arrangements
· Diocesan representatives and Directors of Education
· Members of the clergy (both Church of England and Roman Catholic) in Poole
· Neighbouring local authorities
· Local transport operators
· Transportation Services
3.4 / Letters and questionnaires were sent to parents of all children who might reasonably have expected to benefit from current arrangements i.e. those who entered Year 6 in September 2007 and those entering Year R to Year 5 in September 2007 attending denominational primary schools. With regard to children in Poole primary schools below Year 5 (and pre-school children) information on any agreed charging policy will be published from September 2008 – therefore parents of those children will have full information well before they have to express a preference for a particular school and so are not judged as having reasonably expected to benefit from current arrangements.
3.5 / 2478 questionnaires were sent out, and 370 replies were received, a return of 14.9%. Some individual questionnaires were sent out separately on request.
3.6 / Public meetings were held on 28 February 2008 and 11 March 2008. These meetings were advertised in the Bournemouth Evening Echo and the Advertiser.
3.7 / Following poor attendance at the first public meeting, posters advertising the second meeting were sent to all schools in Poole for display at main entrances, on central notice boards etc.
3.8 / General advertisements inviting comment on the consultation were placed in the Bournemouth Evening Echo and the Advertiser. Four advertisements were placed in total, one each week over a period of 4 weeks.
3.9 / Approximately 700 letters were sent to parents of children attending denominational or grammar schools inviting them to attend focus groups.
3.10 / Two focus groups were held on 18 and 19 March 2008, facilitated by the Market Research Group, Bournemouth University.
3.11 / A general notice regarding the consultation was published on the Borough of Poole website. A copy of the letter and questionnaire sent to parents was published and the facility was available for the questionnaire to be completed on line. 5 questionnaires were completed on line.
4. / RESULTS OF CONSULTATION
4.1 / A summary of the written responses received from the groups detailed in paragraph 3.3 above are set out in Appendix 1. Any other written responses received to the public Notice are also included.
4.2 / Responses to the questionnaires were logged and individually numbered as they were received. A summary of the responses received from the questionnaires is set out in Appendix 2.
4.3 / A summary of the points raised in the public meetings is set out in Appendix 3.
4.4 / A summary of the points raised in the Focus Groups is set out in Appendix 4.
5. / FINANCIAL INFORMATION
5.1 / The approximate costs of providing transport to denominational schools and grammar schools for the academic year 2007/2008 are as follows:
Grammar schools: £330,187
Primary denominational schools: £135,843
Secondary denominational schools: £83,907.
The precise costs for individual schools and the types of transport provided is set out in Appendix 5.
The total number of pupils being transported is 725, giving an average cost per head of £759 per annum.
5.2 / Members will be aware that the Education and Inspections Act 2006 has placed new duties on local authorities to provide more transport for families on a low income.
5.3 / In addition to existing duties, local authorities are now required to provide transport for pupils in the following circumstances:
· Where the pupil is aged 8-11, attends their nearest suitable school, lives more than 2 miles from their school and the family is on a low income.
· Where the pupil is aged 11-16, attends one of their three nearest suitable schools, lives between 2 and 6 miles from their school and the family is on a low income.
· Where the pupil is aged 11-16, attends their nearest suitable denominational school for religious reasons, lives between 2 and 15 miles from their school and the family is on a low income.
5.4 / School admissions data for September 2008 indicates that numbers of children entering secondary school who may be eligible for transport assistance under new and existing duties are as follows:
School / Existing duties / New duties
Ashdown / 0 / 21
Carter / 0 / 4
Corfe Hills / 14 / 46
Parkstone Grammar / 56 / 25
Poole Grammar / 46 / 20
Poole High / 2 / 81
Rossmore / 0 / 1
St Edward’s / 15 / 40
Total / 133 / 238
The table below shows how many of the pupils potentially eligible for transport under the new duties have applied, and the outcomes:
School / Potential / Applied/
Eligible / Applied/
Ineligible / Not applied/application incomplete
Ashdown / 21 / 1 / 4 / 16
Carter / 4 / 1 / 1 / 2
Corfe Hills / 46 / 6 / 10 / 30
Parkstone Grammar / 25 / 0 / 2 / 23
Poole Grammar / 20 / 3 / 4 / 13
Poole High / 81 / 6 / 3 / 72
Rossmore / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1
St Edward’s / 40 / 2 / 6 / 32
Total / 238 / 19 / 30 / 189
A number of potentially eligible pupils (189) have so far either not applied or have applied with incomplete evidence.
Preliminary admissions data indicates that there are 3 schools in the primary sector having pupils who may be eligible for transport assistance under the new duties, as follows:
School / Existing duties / New duties
Allenbourn / 0 / 22
Baden-Powell / 0 / 3
Broadstone / 0 / 14
5.5 / Assuming an average cost per head of £759 per annum, the additional transport costs for children in secondary schools who are known to be eligible for assistance under the new duties are £14,421. There is potentially an additional cost of £143,451 for those pupils who have not yet applied. Transport costs may be higher for individual pupils, dependent on the particular needs of the child and availability of public or contract bus services.
5.6 / This indicates the additional costs for the first year only. Costs will increase year on year as the eligible cohort moves up through school. The tables below show how costs will increase both for those children known to be eligible for transport assistance and for those who may potentially be entitled to transport assistance.
Eligible for transport
School / Sept 2008
Year 8 / Sept 2009
Years 8/9 / Sept 2010
Years 8/9/10 / Sept 2011
Years 8/9/10/11
Ashdown (1 pupil) / £759 / £1518 / £2277 / £3036
Carter (1 pupil) / £759 / £1518 / £2277 / £3036
Parkstone Grammar (0 pupils) / £0 / £0 / £0 / £0
Poole Grammar (3 pupils) / £2277 / £4554 / £6831 / £9108
Poole High (6 pupils) / £4554 / £9108 / £13,662 / £18,216
Rossmore (0 pupils) / £0 / £0 / £0 / £0
St Edward’s (2 pupils) / £1518 / £3036 / £4554 / £6072
Total / £9867 / £19,734 / £29,601 / £39,468
Corfe Hills (6 eligible pupils) does not admit pupils until Year 9, so the increase in costs will be as follows:
Sept 2008
Year 9 / Sept 2009
Year 10 / Sept 2010
Year 11
£4554 / £9108 / £13,662
Potentially eligible for transport
School / Sept 2008
Year 8 / Sept 2009
Years 8/9 / Sept 2010
Years 8/9/10 / Sept 2011
Years 8/9/10/11
Ashdown (16 pupils) / £12,144 / £24,288 / £36,432 / £48,576
Carter (2 pupils) / £1518 / £3036 / £4554 / £6072
Parkstone Grammar (23 pupils) / £17,457 / £34,914 / £52,371 / £69,828
Poole Grammar (13 pupils) / £9867 / £19,734 / £29,601 / £39,468
Poole High (72 pupils) / £54,648 / £109,296 / £163,944 / £218,592
Rossmore (1 pupil) / £759 / £1518 / £2277 / £3036
St Edward’s (32 pupils) / £24,288 / £48,576 / £72,864 / £97,152
Total / £120,681 / £241,362 / £362,043 / £482,724
Corfe Hills (30 potentially eligible pupils) does not admit pupils until Year 9, so the increase in potential costs will be as follows:
Sept 2008
Year 9 / Sept 2009
Years 9/10 / Sept 2010
Years 9/10/11
£22,770 / £45,540 / £68,310
The projected costs do not allow for increases in fuel costs, inflation and other cost increases. They also assume that numbers of entitled and potentially entitled pupils will remain the same each year.
Over time, the total projected cost for those children known to be eligible for free transport under the new duties will be £53,130 per annum. There is potentially an additional cost of £551,034 per annum for other pupils who may be eligible under the new duties but have not yet applied.
There are 39 children in primary schools who may be eligible for free transport under the new duties (see paragraph 5.4). Assuming an average cost of £759 per head, the cost of providing transport for these children under the new duties could be £29,601.
5.7 / Some funding is expected towards the cost of the new duties, as follows:
Academic year 08/09 £13,837
Academic year 09/10 £15,359
Academic year 10/11 £16,881
5.8 / Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, any child aged over 11 and attending a Bournemouth secondary school will be eligible for transport assistance from the Borough of Poole if their parent can demonstrate that the school they attend is one of their three nearest, they live more than 2 miles, but less than 6 miles from it and they are on a low income.
5.9 / If a distinction continues to be made between grammar schools and other kinds of secondary schools, then any children attending Bournemouth School and Bournemouth School for Girls in the future will automatically be entitled (subject to distance and income) as it is one of their three nearest grammar schools. In September 2008, there are 37 pupils resident in Poole who have accepted a place at a Bournemouth grammar school. There are a further 107 pupils resident in Poole who have accepted places at other Bournemouth secondary schools who could potentially be eligible for transport under the new duties.
5.10 / Members will be aware from the report in June 2007 that the Department for Children Schools & Families has specifically stated it does not consider a preference for a selective education to be a reason to provide transport. Children may qualify for transport to these schools under general policy if it is one of their 3 nearest secondary schools, subject to distance from home to school and family income.
5.11 / This matter has also been the subject of a test case in law. Details are set out in Appendix 6.
6.0 /
INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE CHARGES
6.1 / The current charge for pupils of compulsory school age who access a concessionary seat on home to school transport is £48 per term, or £144 per year. Assuming 190 days in a school year, this equates to a daily return fare of approximately 76p. This is reviewed annually.6.2 / The current charge for sixth formers and further education college students who qualify for assistance with transport under the Borough’s current policy is £230 per year. Assuming 190 days in a school year (college years are usually 180 days), this equates to a daily return fare of approximately £1.21. This is also reviewed annually.
6.3 / Shamrock, which currently provides some of the contract vehicles running to Poole and Parkstone Grammar School, charge pupils not entitled to free transport between £1 and £1.30 single fare (depending on which zone they live in). No return fare is available but a termly ticket can be purchased at a slight discount.
6.4 / A standard double-decked bus has 74 seats. It is rare that a bus travelling will be completely full, an average number of pupils travelling might be 60.
6.6 / Charges would have to be set at an impractically high level to fully recoup the cost of the relevant bus services. Any charges levied would represent a contribution towards additional costs arising from the new statutory duties. If charges are set too high, pupils will not use the bus service. This obviously has an implication for increased levels of traffic on the road, but also means that cost per head would rise for those who do continue to use the bus service.
6.7 / Charges would continue to be waived for families on a low income i.e. eligible for free school meals or in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.
6.8 / The table below shows a range of different possible charges and the potential annual income from those charges. Referring to the detailed transport costs given in Appendix 5, there are currently 575 pupils travelling on contract bus services. The figures given assume that the same number of pupils will be travelling each year, that all pupils will be travelling each day (allowing for 190 days in a school year) and shows the difference in income depending on whether they buy a single or return ticket. It does not allow for any pupils who might be eligible for a waiver due to being on a low income.
£1.50 return / £163,875 / £1.00 single / £109,250
£2.00 return / £218,500 / £1.25 single / £136,562.50
£2.50 return / £273,125 / £1.50 single / £163,875
6.9 / Termly passes could also be made available to parents if they prefer this.
6.10 / These charges would be subject to annual officer review.
6.11 / As any charging policy would not be introduced until September 2009, existing contracts may need to be reviewed at that time in the light of Member’s decisions. Contract price may be affected by any agreed charging policy and vice versa.
6.12 / If agreed charges do not cover expected additional costs, it may be necessary to increase Council Tax to cover the shortfall.
6.13 / Any pupil currently receiving free discretionary transport will continue to do so until they move to their next school.
7.0 /
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1 / The local authority is legally required to implement the requirements of the Education Act 1996 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006.8.0 / FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
8.1 / Known and potential costs are outlined in previous paragraphs.
VICKY WALES
HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES