Following an extensive consultation process, a report outlining the feedback received in relation to a proposed new Home to School Transport Policy will be presented for pre-scrutiny by the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee next week (Monday, March 18).
Cabinet will consider whether or not it wishes to progress with implementation of a new Home to School Transport Policy at its meeting on Wednesday, March 20.
In response to the significant financial challenges facing the Council, we consulted upon a review of its current home to school transport arrangements, to align with Welsh Government statutory distance criteria set out in the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008.
The preferred option consulted upon would mean that from the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, the Council would provide mainstream English, Welsh and Faith primary and secondary school and college transport in line with statutory distance criteria. The statutory requirement is to provide free home to school transport for learners attending primary school who live two miles or further from their nearest suitable school and for learners attending secondary school who live three miles or further from their nearest suitable school.
Currently, the Council provides Home to School Transport from 1.5 and 2 miles respectively. The majority of Welsh local authorities (18 out of 22) have aligned their transport arrangements in line with statutory distance only.
Transport for pupils with Additional Learning Needs or disability/medical condition that negates a pupil’s ability to walk to school would remain unaltered under the proposal as transport is determined by a learner’s individual need.
The report due to be considered next week, provides Cabinet with the feedback from the public consultation exercise and an analysis of the key themes that emerged from the consultation. Equality and Welsh Language Impact Assessments have also been updated post consultation for Cabinet’s consideration.
A Rhondda Cynon Taf Council spokesman said: “Next week Members will consider the feedback received following the extensive consultation process undertaken between November 2023 and February 2024.
“Like all local authorities, the Council faces significant financial challenges over the short to medium term, with an estimated budget gap of £85.4m facing Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC over the next three years. The Council therefore has no alternative other than to consider areas of service, where it provides over and above what is required in legislation and what the government provides funding for.
“Due to these financial pressures the Council consulted upon proposals which would change the current Home to School Transport Policy, namely to align transport provision more closely with Welsh Government statutory transport requirements set out in the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008.
“Home to School Transport is provided for approximately 9,000 mainstream pupils, 960 Additional Learning Needs learners, and 2,300 College students each day. Approximately 9,000+ of these learners are transported on a discretionary basis. This means that the Council provides discretionary transport for more learners than almost every other Welsh Council’s Home to School transport operations. In addition, the Council’s Home to School Transport costs have increased from £8m in 2015 to over £15M for the 2023/24 financial year.
“Despite the wider financial context facing the Council, Cabinet recognises the significance of the proposed changes and will consider the feedback received through the consultation process, alongside further advice received from Council officers and updated equality and Welsh language impact assessments.
“The potential changes, if implemented, would still see Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council continue to provide one of the most generous discretionary home to school transport policies in Wales and far above what the council is expected or funded to provide by the government.
“These proposals will initially be scrutinised by the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, before Cabinet considers whether or not it wishes to progress with implementation of a new Home to School Transport Policy at its meeting on March 20, 2024.”
A comprehensive public consultation exercise was conducted with all key stakeholders such as pupils, parents, carers, transport providers and Elected Members.
The consultation originally ran from Monday, November 27, 2023, until 5pm Monday, January 8, 2024. Recognising the significance of the proposal for pupils who use and will use home to school transport now or in the future, the consultation was extended for a further three-week period, from Thursday, January 18, until 5pm on Thursday, February 8, 2024.
This period provided a further opportunity for those potentially impacted to take part in the consultation. In total the consultation therefore ran for a period of nine weeks.
Any changes, if approved by Cabinet next week, would come into effect from the beginning of the 2025/26 academic year.
