Issue - meetings

BCP Council is legally required to have a single home to school transport policy. A BCP Council Policy has been drafted to replace the three existing policies. The draft policy has been developed to ensure consistency across the conurbation. It will provide a single point of reference for families and officers regarding eligibility and how it is assessed.

Permission to determine the policy is being sought from cabinet following a public consultation held January-February 2022. The consultation was held in accordance with the requirements of the Department for Education’s statutory guidance. Key stakeholders were targeted during the consultation period.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           agrees to determine the Home to School Transport policy; and

(b)           delegates authority to the Director of Education, Children’s Services to implement the policy for eligibility requests from 2022/23 academic year.

Voting: Nem. Con. (1 Abstention)

Portfolio Holder: Council Priorities and Delivery

Reason

The Council is legally required to have a home to school transport policy. A single policy will provide one point of reference for families and officers when requesting and agreeing transport assistance.

The Portfolio Holder for Council Priorities and Delivery presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was reminded that BCP Council is legally required to have a single home to school transport policy, and that a BCP Council Policy has been drafted to replace the three existing policies.

Cabinet was advised that the draft policy has been developed to ensure consistency across the conurbation, and that it will provide a single point of reference for families and officers regarding eligibility and how it is assessed.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that permission to determine the policy is being sought from cabinet following a public consultation held January-February 2022, and that the consultation was held in accordance with the requirements of the Department for Education’s statutory guidance. Key stakeholders were targeted during the consultation period.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           agrees to determine the Home to School Transport policy; and

(b)           delegates authority to the Director of Education, Children’s Services to implement the policy for eligibility requests from 2022/23 academic year.

Voting: Nem.Con (one abstention)

Portfolio Holder: Council Priorities and Delivery

Councillor B Dove declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item and refrained from voting.