Council confirms changes of home to school transport policy to save money

Lewis Smith, local democracy reporter

Councillors have approved changes to a local authority’s home to school transport policy at an extraordinary meeting, following significant objections raised in a public consultation.

Among the policy changes being introduced by Bridgend County Borough Council will be the removal of transport for all learners benefiting from an “identified and available safe walking route to school” in line with statutory distances of two miles for primary school pupils and three miles for secondary school pupils.

It will also see an end to the council’s sibling rule, where pupils are entitled to free transport on the same terms as older siblings, as well as the removal of free transport for English-medium nursery children along with post-16 students attending English-medium secondary schools.

It was noted that transport will still continue for those students who are in Welsh-medium and faith-based education, though some councillors questioned if this exception was fair.

Officers responded by saying the move was included in the policy as it would allow the authority to meet its statutory duty to promote Welsh medium education with an equality impact assessment already having been undertaken.

‘Unintended consequences’

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Martyn Jones, who is the cabinet member for education and youth services, said the decisions in the new policy had been made reluctantly, adding he would continue look at any unintended consequences the policy may create.

He said: “This is a reluctant decision-making process on our part. It’s purely been driven by budgetary constraints being placed on Bridgend County Borough Council.”

With the new policy agreed, it is set to come into force at the start of the next school year in September 2025, with expectations being that the move could save more than £1m a year on the council’s budget.