Proposal by OCC to change transport to school provision.

Fri 14 Jun 2013, 09:02

Urgent! Please read and respond to the OCC proposal ?" even if it does not affect you personally.
OCC acknowledge that this will affect most schools in Oxfordshire and that they say it is a cost saving exercise.
There are a number of proposals but I would draw people's attention in particular to items 2 and 5.
Proposal 2 affects families with more than 2 children ?" the waiver of charges for the third and subsequent children is to be removed ?" this will disadvantage larger families.
Proposal 5 changes the funding arrangements for transport from the existing catchment and partner schools to that nearest to the child's home address.

"The phased ending of free travel to the designated (catchment) school if the distance from home to school is over 3 miles if aged 8 or over, or 2 miles if less than aged 8 and of school age, unless this is the nearest school to a child‟s home address.1 This would take effect from September 2014 and those children for whom free transport has been agreed before that date will not be affected by this proposed change of policy. This protection will last up until the end of Year 6 for those in primary school and Year 11 for those in secondary school (Proposal 5)."

It results in the nonsense that at some point along Fairspear Rd in Leafield the nearest school changes from being Burford School to Wood Green School ?" so what will happen to the children attending Leafield School ?" will there be one bus to Wood Green and one to Burford? Cost saving? ?" no. Environmentally friendly? ?" No. Good for the children? ?" No.

We live in a rural area with limited public transport in outlying villages ?" it is essential that there is proper strategy for access to education.

Neil Darlington the officer at OCC responsible for this proposal has stated that they have deliberately allowed the minimum legal time period for the consultation on this proposal.

Please take action now!

Deadline for consultation is 3 July 2013
All responses can be posted to Neil Darlington, School Organisation & Planning, County Hall, Freepost, Oxfordshire County Council
Alternatively they can be emailed to:
HomeSchoolTransport2014-manager@myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk