‘I hope you are ashamed’: Opposition leaders slam proposed cuts to SEND school transport funding

Plans to stop funding school transport for nursery and post-16 pupils with special educational needs and disabilities have been slammed as “shameful” by opposition councillors.

Shropshire Council’s cabinet has agreed to go out to public consultation on proposals to end financial contributions for school transport for children it does not have a legal duty to provide it for, which also includes mainstream post-16 pupils.

A report to members at a meeting on Wednesday said the cuts could save the authority £350,000 a year but would likely have a “high negative impact” on the children affected.

Presenting the report, Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, cabinet member for children and education, said a number of other councils were also looking at similar measures to help balance the books.

She added: “At this stage no decisions have been made and we will bring back to cabinet the outcome of the consultation along with any recommendations.”

Councillor Roger Evans, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “You may not be surprised that I do no support this.

“I am amazed that [this report] is coming here in these times of cost of living increases, when many families are having to make choices – hard choices – and those families that are carers for children with disabilities are now being faced with more costs.”

Councillor Evans said the cuts would come into effect in September 2024 only to be reversed months later if the Conservatives lose control of the council in the next local elections in May 2025.

Labour group leader Councillor Julia Buckley urged cabinet to drop the idea.

She said: “You have an opportunity today to reconsider your actions on this proposal. It’s absolutely shameful.

“In a rural county, where access to education depends on transport, you want to save an absolutely pitiful amount of money by withdrawing transport from those who are either on low income or have special needs.

“You could not have picked any more vulnerable people at this point in time to remove from them the wherewithal to access education.

“I hope you are ashamed of what you are trying to do.”

Green group leader Councillor Julian Dean said: “We are looking at a proposal to consult on something which is going to embed inequality.

“It’s going to make the situation even worse for some of the most vulnerable in our society.”

Councillor Hurst-Knight said opposition members were “pre-determining the outcome of the consultation”.

Leader Lezley Picton added: “Please don’t mislead the public into thinking a decision has been made. It has not.”

Cabinet voted for an eight week consultation on the proposals to begin in September.

Any changes will come into effect in September 2024 but children currently accessing transport assistance under the existing policy would be unaffected.

An impact assessment appended to the report warned the council could face a judicial review if cabinet agreed to the consultation, “given the likely high negative impact for children and young people coming into these categories whom we would class as vulnerable”.

It also revealed that when the council approached other authorities to get a picture of what is provided elsewhere, it was “unable to find a local authority that has completely withdrawn discretionary funding for SEND post-16 [pupils]”.

This year the council is providing financial assistance to transport six SEND nursery children, 104 SEND post-16 students and 56 mainstream post-16 students, at a total cost of £647,000.

Parents or carers have to contribute either £933 or £299 a year, based on their circumstances.