Agenda item

This report presents the findings of a strategic review undertaken by an external provider into the Local Authority’s home to school transport arrangements focussing on our arrangements and provision for children and young people pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  The key objective of the review was to identify strategic and operational opportunities that support the development of independent travel options and make improvements to how home-to-school transport is delivered with a focus on potential efficiencies and service improvement.

It identifies key opportunities to introduce travel options that meet individual needs and help prepare young people for adulthood and promote long-term independence. Key issues include the complexity of transport arrangements, market capacity challenges, and the need for improved commissioning models that deliver better outcomes and value for money. The report presents a range of options and opportunities for future delivery and contained details of the investment necessary to achieve cashable savings and cost avoidance.  

This report seeks approval to proceed with a formal tendering exercise to commission an external provider to implement a phased delivery of change proposals that encourage independent travel, build independence and reduce journey times for children and young people. The approach will be supportive of young people's development to help young people gain confidence and practical skills for travelling safely on their own will result in making school transport more efficient and sustainable.   

The Head of Inclusion, Places and Capital presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

This report presented the findings of a strategic review undertaken by an external provider into the Local Authority’s home-to-school transport arrangements, focussing on our arrangements and provision for children and young people pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The key objective of the review was to identify strategic and operational opportunities that supported the development of independent travel options and made improvements to how home-to-school transport was delivered with a focus on potential efficiencies and service improvement.

It identified key opportunities to introduce travel options that met individual needs and helped prepare young people for adulthood and promote long-term independence. Key issues included the complexity of transport arrangements, market capacity challenges, and the need for improved commissioning models that delivered better outcomes and value for money. The report presented a range of options and opportunities for future delivery and contained details of the investment necessary to achieve cashable savings and cost avoidance.

This report sought approval to proceed with a formal tendering exercise to commission an external provider to implement a phased delivery of change proposals that encouraged independent travel, built independence and reduced journey times for children and young people. The approach was supportive of young people's development to help young people gain confidence and practical skills for travelling safely on their own and would result in making school transport more efficient and sustainable.

The Committee discussed the report, including:

• In response to a query raised regarding the rationale for commissioning an external provider, the Committee was advised that specialist expertise was required to deliver independent travel training at scale and ensure best practice.
• In response to a query raised regarding the financial implications, the Committee was advised that the proposed investment was expected to deliver significant long-term savings and improve outcomes for young people.
• In response to a query raised regarding the impact on families, the Committee was advised that engagement and communication would be prioritised to ensure changes were introduced gradually and with appropriate support.
• In response to a query raised regarding safeguarding and risk management, the Committee was advised that robust processes would be in place to ensure pupil safety during independent travel training.
• Members queried why an external provider was preferred over an in-house solution. The Committee was advised that the external approach would bring specialist skills, deliver a phased programme at pace, and leave a legacy by upskilling staff, whereas an in-house model would take longer and lack the necessary infrastructure.
• The Committee discussed the three-year phased delivery plan and noted that the proposals represented a package of measures, including route optimisation, commissioning changes, and independent travel training, rather than a single intervention.
• Members raised concerns about balancing efficiency with child welfare and were reassured that route optimisation would be interactive and responsive to individual needs, ensuring journey times remained within statutory limits and that children arrived ready to learn.
• In response to a query raised regarding safe pick-up points and clustering, the Committee was advised that any changes would be carefully assessed to ensure suitability for vulnerable children and that flexibility would remain where individual needs required bespoke arrangements.
• The Committee was advised that future-proofing systems, including investment in route optimisation technology and performance dashboards, would support ongoing efficiency and monitoring.
• The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People advised the Committee that the proposed approach aligned with the Council’s commitment to improving independence for young people and delivering sustainable transport solutions.

Following a request from a Committee member to ask a question relating to the exempt appendix to this report, it was Proposed, Seconded and agreed to exclude the public and press at this point:

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 2 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee continued to discuss the report.

The Committee then resumed in public session.

RESOLVED that the Committee agreed to endorse the recommendation within the report to Cabinet to tender an external provider to deliver a transformation project over three years at a total cost of £1.5 million, funded by the flexible use of capital receipts, to deliver service improvements and, by the end of the project, ongoing savings in SEND school transport projected at £3 million (net of additional resource requirement).

Voting: Nem. Con.