Oxfordshire County Council has taken the bold and potentially recession-defying step of stopping charging 16-18 year olds for school transport. This move literally breaks with the pattern after overwhelming public input. Soaring expenses are prompting this move outlook. The home to school transport budget is on course to reach £43 million next year.
The council then held a public consultation to solicit ideas from residents. They were particularly interested in whether people agreed to make contribution charges for young people using council transport for post-16 education. About 60% of those that responded to the cabinet’s initial proposal were against it, forcing the cabinet to rethink its original plan. The cabinet meeting on Tuesday reaffirmed the decision not to introduce any charges at all.
Sean Gaul, the cabinet member for children and young people, emphasized that the authority took the public’s sentiments into account.
“Often this party is accused of not listening – 60% of respondents did not agree to introduce charges, we’ve listened,” – Sean Gaul.
The increasing costs to provide the service have brought alarm. Today, the projected cost for home-to-school transport is more than the District Council’s entire budget. In 2022/2023, the home-to-school transport budget was slightly more than £26 million. The hike highlights the deep fiscal crisis the council is currently wrestling with. In particular, about £33 million of the estimated £43 million is allocated to transport services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are entitled to free transport to their nearest suitable school. This entitlement has contributed to a fast-increasing financial burden on the council. In their report, officers urged charges not to be brought in “recognition of the possible effect” on the families and the wider community.
Gaul continued to marvel at the challenges of running such a service and emphasized knowing the costs and what you can afford would be key.
“It is absolutely colossal the cost of running this service, and the need to be absolutely all over the detail is crucial,” – Sean Gaul.
Even in the face of this fiscal pressure, the council’s decision is an encouraging sign of their commitment to providing accessible high quality education to all young people. Oxfordshire County Council has decided against imposing new transport charges. This decision will help to relieve some financial pressures on families, and allow students to persist with their education free from additional costs.
