BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2008

JOINT REPORT OF HEADS OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES

ON proposed charges for grammar and denominational school transport

1.Purpose and Policy Context

1.1School bus services contribute to the Council’s Transportation Strategy by helping to reduce peak hour congestion and improving road safety and air quality around schools. They also contribute to the Council Priority of Reducing Poole’s Carbon Footprint.

1.2The affordability of fares and charges is a major factor in the use of school bus services for many families.

1.3The Recommendation for an annual charge to be set has come from the Children and Young People Overview & Scrutiny Committee, this Advisory Group is being asked to consider the level of charge to be set, prior to consideration by Cabinet,

2. recommendations

That Cabinet be recommended to approve:

2.1That an annual charge of £250 be set for pupils who would previously have qualified for free transport on distance grounds to grammar and denominational schools. This would permit use of the existing network of school buses.

2.2That payment may be made termly or annually (most buses will also have the opportunity to pay daily fares).

2.3That the charge be reviewed annually.

3. Information

3.1At its meeting held on 29 July 2008 the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolved to recommend to Cabinet to withdraw free discretionary transport on equality and equity grounds for pupils attending grammar and denominational schools (other than in certain circumstances where free transport would continue to be provided). It was also agreed to recommend the introduction of a charging policy from September 2009 to maintain existing contracted bus services and the level of charge per pupil per annum to be set by Cabinet in consultation with the Transportation Advisory Group mindful of the current costs of education transport. The report is attached as Appendix A of this report.

3.2The new charges would be phased in and only apply to new applicants from September 2009. This means that it will take 4 or 5 years (depending on the school) before charges apply to the majority of pupils travelling on these school buses. When this is the case the buses will principally be carrying fare-paying passengers and it may be appropriate for them to become part of the subsidised public transport network (subject to the appropriate level of funding transferring from Children & Young People’s Integrated Services to Transportation Services).

3.3The table in Paragraph 6.9 of the report attached as Appendix A sets out a number of options on charging together with the approximate levels of subsidy that would be required (from Children & Young People’s Integrated Services). Clearly the lower the annual charge, the higher the level of subsidy that would be required. However, if the charge is set too high, families may not be able or prepared to make the payment and this is likely to increase the number of car journeys to school. A level needs to be achieved that is both affordable for the majority of families but also generates sufficient income to offset the subsidy costs.

3.4It is suggested that a charge of £250 per annum is set (low income families would be exempt from any charge).

JULIAN McLAUGHLIN

Head of Transportation Services

VICKY WALES

Head of Children & Young

Background Papers

APPENDIX A – Report of the Head of Children and Young People’s Integrated Services on Home to School Transport

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

Martin Hughes (01202) 262241

8 August 2008
TAG040908T3E
APPENDIX A

BOROUGH OF POOLE

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

29 JULY 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. / PURPOSE
1.1 / To provide additional information following from previous reports concerning the new duties in connection with the provision of school transport.
1.2 / To inform the Overview & Scrutiny Group of the results of the consultation on the introduction of a charging policy for discretionary transport provided to denominational and grammar schools.
1.3 / To provide Members with information relating to the implications on the budget of the new duties.
1.4 / To provide Members with suggested amendments to the Home to School Transport Policy incorporating the proposed charging policy.
2. / DECISIONS REQUIRED
2.1 / The Overview & Scrutiny Group is requested to recommend Cabinet to approve:
i) the withdrawal of free discretionary transport on equality and equity grounds for pupils attending grammar and denominational schools (they may still be entitled if it is one of their three nearest schools),
ii) a charging policy being introduced from September 2009 to maintain existing contracted bus services, and
iii) the level of charge per pupil per annum to be set by cabinet in consultation with the Transportation Advisory Group mindful of the current costs of education transport.
3. / BACKGROUND INFORMATION
3.1 / A report outlining the new duties concerning school transport was submitted to CSOG on 26 June 2007, these include:
(i) provision of free transport for any pupil aged between 8 and 11, who attends their nearest suitable school, lives 2 or more miles from that school and their family is on a low income.
(ii) provision of free transport for any pupil aged 11 or over, who attends one of their 3 nearest suitable schools, lives between 2 and 6 miles from that school and their family is on a low income.
(iii) provision of free transport for any pupil aged 11 or over, who attends their nearest suitable denominational school for religious reasons, lives between 2 and 15 miles from that school and their family is on a low income.
3.2 / Reports outlining the proposed detail of the consultation were submitted to CSOG meetings in June and December 2007.
3.3 / The Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires local education authorities to publish a strategy to promote the use of sustainable modes of travel to meet the school travel needs in its area. Sustainable modes of travel are those which the authority considers may improve either the physical well-being of those who use them or the environmental well-being of the area, or both of these. A Sustainable School Travel Strategy was considered by the Transportation Advisory Group on 26 July 2007 and subsequently agreed by Cabinet.
3.4 / The official consultation period ran from 18 February 2008 to 14 March 2008.
3.5 / Letters were sent to the following groups inviting them to comment:
  • Headteachers/Chairmen of Governors in all Poole secondary schools
  • Headteachers/Chairmen of Governors in all Poole primary denominational schools
  • Headteachers/Chairmen 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

3.6 / 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.
3.7 / 2478 questionnaires were sent out, and 370 replies were received, a return of 14.9%. Some individual questionnaires were sent out separately on request.
3.8 / Public meetings were held on 28 February 2008 and 11 March 2008. These meetings were advertised in the Bournemouth Evening Echo and the Advertiser.
3.9 / 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.
3.10 / 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.
3.11 / Approximately 700 letters were sent to parents of children attending denominational or grammar schools inviting them to attend focus groups.
3.12 / Two focus groups were held on 18 and 19 March 2008, facilitated by the Market Research Group, Bournemouth University.
3.13 / 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.
4.5 / The key findings of the consultation are:
  • 48.4% of parents indicated that they anticipated that their child would use the bus to travel to grammar and denominational schools.
  • 55% of parents said that if there was no bus service available they would use the car to travel to grammar and denominational schools.
  • 48% of parents would be willing to contribute towards the cost of travel to any school and 36% said that they maybe willing to contribute towards the cost of travel to any school.
  • 48% of parents said that they would be willing to contribute towards the cost of travel to grammar and denominational schools and 39% said that they maybe willing to contribute towards the cost of travel to grammar and denominational schools.
  • 58% of parents said that it was reasonable for parents to contribute towards the cost of travel to any school if they could afford it.
  • 62% of parents said that it was reasonable for parents to contribute towards the cost of travel to grammar and denominational schools if they could afford it.
  • 82% of parents said that their preference for any school did not depend on a free bus service.
  • 84% of parents said that their preference for a grammar or denominational school did not depend on a free bus service.
  • 39% of parents preferred to maintain existing free bus services to all schools and introduce means testing.
  • 38% of parents preferred to maintain the existing free bus services to grammar and denominational schools and introduce means testing.

5. / FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF NEW DUTIES
5.1 / To assess the cost of the new duties, data is needed for all pupils qualifying on both distance and low income. However, the latter can be assessed only as applications are made.
At this point in the process (June 08) full eligibility cannot be assessed, only estimates made.
5.2 / School admission data for September 2008 indicates that 133 children are entering Poole secondary school education who may be eligible for transport assistance under the existing transport policy.
An additional 245 may be eligible for transport assistance under the new duties on the distance criteria only.
5.3 / Of the 245 pupils, 28 (11%) have applied and been found eligible under the additional low income criteria.
A further 31 applications have been assessed but not met the low income criteria.
The remaining 186 pupils have either not applied or the application is still incomplete.
5.4 / Preliminary admissions data indicates that there are 3 schools in the primary sector which may have pupils eligible for transport assistance under the new duties on distance criteria alone. However due to the location of the schools and the free school meals data, it is expected that very few pupils will also meet the low income criteria.
5.5 / The data for pupils resident in Poole attending Bournemouth schools (mainly in grammars) is not complete. It is estimated that approximately 85 pupils will enter secondary education in Bournemouth schools in September 2008 who may qualify on distance criteria only.
We have estimated a proportion will also qualify on low income.
5.6 / The DCSF, through the Area Base Grant have allocated funding towards the cost of new duties based on 30% of the Free School Meals pupils and an expectation that although pupils of all ages qualify from 2008, take up will be gradual as awareness of the extended rights grows over time.
This is as follows:
2008/09 - £13,837
2009/10 - £15,359
2010/11 – £16,881
5.7 / Whilst we have assumed that full take up will be in place from September 2009, the full financial year cost will not impact until 2010/11 as bus passes are generally paid termly.
5.8 / The table below shows the estimated additional cost of new duties for eligible pupils under the extended rights for free school transport:
Financial Year 08/09 / Financial Year 09/10 / Financial Year
10/11 / Financial Year
11/12
£ / £ / £ / £
Additional cost / (12,117) / (42,638) / (57,533) / (61,704)
Grant (ABG) / 13,837 / 15,359 / 16,881 / 18,569*
Net cost / 1,720 / (27,279) / (40,652) / (43,135)
*estimated, only 2008-11 announced
5.9 / The following assumptions have been made:
i)The current admission year pupils have been used as an approximation for all year groups.
ii)The remaining year groups (9-11) have recently been made aware of their potential extended rights. It is expected that successful applications will be made during the remainder of the year. These are estimate at only 50% of the current year 8 as awareness is expected to grow over time.
iii)Full awareness and eligibility in place from September 2009, therefore full additional cost from that year.
iv)There is an allowance for 2 additional pupils choosing a school up to 6 miles as one of their nearest 3 (likely to be Poole High) each year based on the growth used by the DCSF in the funding growth.
v)For pupils attending Bournemouth secondary schools, it is assumed that the same proportion of the pupils qualifying on distance will also be eligible on the low income criteria as those in Poole grammar schools for the current year (6%)
vi)It is anticipated that there will not be additional cost for contract buses because the pupils can be accommodated within existing spare capacity.
vii)A percentage increase on bus passes cost year on year has been applied.
5.10 / Members will be aware from the report in June 2007 that the Department for Children Schools and Families has specifically stated that it does not consider a preference for 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 three nearest secondary schools, subject to distance and family income
5.11 / This matter has also been the subject of a test case in law. Details are set out in Appendix 5.
5.12 / If a distinction continues to be made between grammar schools and other kind of schools then any children attending Bournemouth grammar schools in the future will be entitled (subject to distance and income) as it is one of their three nearest grammar schools and there would be additional cost for these pupils of £19,647.
5.13 / Members need to be aware that costs will increase in 2013 as a result of the change in age and stage of transfer. For 2013 there will be an additional year group who will qualify for transport (subject to distance and income). Additionally, parents will be able to express a preference for schools in neighbouring authorities as more schools will come into the two to six mile distance criteria.
6.0 / INFORMATION ON THE INTRODUCTION OF A CHARGING POLICY FOR PUPILS ATTENDING GRAMMAR AND DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS
6.1 / Existing charges:
Pupils of compulsory school age who are not eligible for home to school transport assistance, but who purchase a spare place, where available, on contracted services are currently charged as follows:

Type of contract

/ Charge
per annum / Daily
equivalent / No of pupils
(Approx)
Closed contracted services - no on-bus fares / £144 / 76p / 27
Contracted local bus services* / Zone1 £456
Zone2 £570 / £2.40
£3.00 / 200
*The revenue received from these pupils is retained by the operator and offsets the cost of the contracts to the council. This is an illustration of fares charged by one operator.
6.2 / Pupils aged 16-19 who are eligible for transport assistance under the Borough’s home to school transport policy (i.e. living more than 5 miles from school/college) are currently charged as follows:

Type of contract

/ Charge
per annum / Daily
equivalent / No of pupils
(Approx)
Any / £230 / £1.21 / 88
6.3 / No discounts are offered to families who have more than one child paying these charges.
6.4 / Neighbouring councils charges:
(a) Pupils of compulsory school age who are not eligible for home to school transport assistance, but who purchase a spare place, where available, on closed contracted services (as per 6.1) are currently charged as follows:

Local Authority

/ Charge
per annum / Daily
equivalent
Dorset County Council / £203 / £1.07
Bournemouth Borough Council / Not offered / -
(b) Pupils aged 16-19 who are eligible for transport assistance (as per 6.2) are currently charged as follows:

Local Authority

/ Charge
per annum / Daily
equivalent
Dorset County Council / £223 / £1.17
Bournemouth Borough Council / Not offered
No charge* / -
*Bournemouth Borough Council do not offer transport assistance for pupils aged 16-19 unless they are entitled to free school meals and live over 5 miles from school or college. No charge is levied for pupils who meet that criteria.
(c) Pupils of compulsory school age who are eligible for transport assistance to denominational schools are currently charged as follows:

Local Authority

/ Charge
per annum / Daily
equivalent
Dorset County Council / £203 / £1.07
Bournemouth Borough Council / Not offered
No charge* / -
*Bournemouth Borough Council do not offer transport assistance to pupils attending grammar or denominational schools unless they are entitled to free school meals and live over 3 miles from school. No charge is levied for pupils who meet that criteria.
6.5 / Existing provision:
The Borough of Poole currently provides transport assistance for pupils who attend grammar or denominational schools where they live more than two or three miles (as appropriate for age of pupil) from school. This transport assistance is provided free of charge.