Swindon Borough Council is seeking views on proposals including removing school transport funding for people aged 16-18 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Cllr Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, urged everybody affected by the proposals to make their views known
The cash-strapped council says it currently spends around £3.4m a year on the transport costs of around 900 young people with SEND.
The Council is not legally required to provide transport for young people aged 16 to 18, and receives no funding from the Government to do so.
Currently, 161 students over the age of 16 receive the free service, at a cost to the council of £726,000 - or a little over £4,500 per pupil.
With the council currently forecasting an £18.9m gap in its budget for the next financial year, all non-statutory services provided by the local authority are being reviewed in order to identify potential savings.
As part of the consultation, which starts today - 6 January - and runs until 30 March, children, young people and families, professionals and members of the wider community are being asked to share their views on the council moving to a model where those aged 16 to 18 who wish to use the transport will have to pay for it, rather than receiving it for free as they currently do.
This includes providing mini buses, paying for taxis or supporting a Personal Travel Budget, where funding is provided to allow service users and their families to make alternative travel arrangements.
Views are also being sought on whether the council should deduct costs from Personal Travel Budgets for missed school days where the children could have attended school but did not. This charge would not apply if the child was sick and unable to attend school or college.
The council says a variety of funding methods were discussed before the options were put forward, which are designed to make the overall service more sustainable.
Cllr Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “It is incredibly important that everyone who is affected by these proposals has the opportunity to share their views.
“Parents and carers will receive a letter asking them to take part in the consultation and we have also been engaging with interested groups such as Swindon SEND Families Voice.
“I would encourage everyone who is likely to be affected by these proposals to provide their feedback so they can be taken on board before any final decisions are taken.”
The council has contacted the parents, carers and guardians of those who have applied for home to school travel support directly for feedback on the consultation.
However, everyone is welcome to respond to the consultation, which can be found here.
The Council is not legally required to provide transport for young people aged 16 to 18, and receives no funding from the Government to do so.
Currently, 161 students over the age of 16 receive the free service, at a cost to the council of £726,000 - or a little over £4,500 per pupil.
With the council currently forecasting an £18.9m gap in its budget for the next financial year, all non-statutory services provided by the local authority are being reviewed in order to identify potential savings.
As part of the consultation, which starts today - 6 January - and runs until 30 March, children, young people and families, professionals and members of the wider community are being asked to share their views on the council moving to a model where those aged 16 to 18 who wish to use the transport will have to pay for it, rather than receiving it for free as they currently do.
This includes providing mini buses, paying for taxis or supporting a Personal Travel Budget, where funding is provided to allow service users and their families to make alternative travel arrangements.
Views are also being sought on whether the council should deduct costs from Personal Travel Budgets for missed school days where the children could have attended school but did not. This charge would not apply if the child was sick and unable to attend school or college.
The council says a variety of funding methods were discussed before the options were put forward, which are designed to make the overall service more sustainable.
Cllr Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “It is incredibly important that everyone who is affected by these proposals has the opportunity to share their views.
“Parents and carers will receive a letter asking them to take part in the consultation and we have also been engaging with interested groups such as Swindon SEND Families Voice.
“I would encourage everyone who is likely to be affected by these proposals to provide their feedback so they can be taken on board before any final decisions are taken.”
The council has contacted the parents, carers and guardians of those who have applied for home to school travel support directly for feedback on the consultation.
However, everyone is welcome to respond to the consultation, which can be found here.
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