Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Education (copy enclosed) providing clarification on the policy relating to Primary School Transport.

9.40 a.m. – 10.15 a.m.

The Head of Education submitted a report (previously circulated) providing clarification on the policy relating to Primary School Transport and its application.  The report had been requested by Councillor Arwel Roberts in light of recent changes to transport provision in the Rhuddlan and Dyserth areas and included reference to the legislative basis for providing school transport as detailed in the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008. 

Members were advised that the policy on Primary School Transport had not changed in the recent September 2015 revision.  However, following this review the Service did ensure that Primary and Secondary transport to the ‘nearest suitable school’ was being applied correctly.  A consequence of the correct application of the policy was the situation which had arisen in Rhuddlan.  Pupil numbers attending Ysgol Dewi Sant, Rhyl from Dyserth had fallen due to the pupils now correctly attending Ysgol y Llys.  As such the service from Dyserth to Dewi Sant was reassessed as the vehicle was significantly oversized for the numbers travelling.  This service came through Rhuddlan where some parents were paying a small concession to use the bus; however, in changing the size of the vehicle the concessionary travel would no longer be available and as such an assessment of safe walking routes to school from Rhuddlan was undertaken.   A new safety assessment of the route had been undertaken during December 2015.  The assessment had concluded that, due to the increase in the volume of traffic using the A547 caused by the introduction of single lane traffic across the bridge in Rhuddlan itself, the route could not at present be deemed as a safe route to school.  With a view to minimising any future risk in this area improvement works were being commissioned to the crossing on the road.  Following completion of this work the route’s safety would be reassessed.  Until such time as the work was done and the route was reassessed free home to school transport for affected pupils from the Rhuddlan area would be provided.

Councillor Arwel Roberts quoted from a recent National Assembly for Wales’ Children, Young People and Education Committee’s Inquiry into Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPs) which referred to local authorities’ discretionary powers “to provide free transport to Welsh-medium schools regardless of the distance criteria in order to promote access to education and training through the medium of Welsh” and to their “general duty to promote access to education through the medium of Welsh when exercising functions under the 2008 Learner Travel Measure.”

Members raised the following points –

·         that the Authority should utilise its discretionary powers in this area as despite proposed improvements to the crossing by Bryn Cwybr, the route would still be a hazardous one at that point and also at Bryn Cwnin

·         similar problems could occur in relation to other primary school routes

·         queried whether the policy was consistent with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) guidance

·         questioned whether the application of the policy in this particular instance was placing policy before children’s safety

·         queried whether all policies in the field of education complemented each other, as in this case it seemed that the primary school transport policy seemed to be at odds with the Welsh in Education Policy.

Responding to members’ questions the Lead Member for Education, the Head of Education and the Education Planning and Resource Manager –

·         emphasised that the home to school transport policy  for Primary Schools had not been changed, it was just being applied more rigorously than in the past

·         advised that the Council’s application of the policy was consistent with the provisions of The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008

·         confirmed that the route at present had been deemed unsafe until the Highways Service undertook the required improvements and the route’s safety was reassessed.  Until that work and assessment had taken place free transport would be provided to the affected pupils from the Rhuddlan area

·         emphasised that there was no expectation on the Council’s behalf for the pupils to walk unaccompanied from their homes to school or vice versa.  Getting  primary school pupils to school, when they lived less than 2 miles from the school, was the parents responsibility

·         advised that the information on the safe route assessment was available if members wished to see it

·         confirmed that the school was open to discussing a variety of solutions to the problem, i.e. walking bus, involving the community, etc.

The Lead Member for Education drew members’ attention to the possible implications of recommending applying a discretion in this particular circumstance, as it would set an unsustainable precedent for the future.

During the discussion on the above the Parent Governor Co-opted Member for the Special Education Needs (SEN) sector drew attention to matters relating to school transport provision for additional learning needs (ALN) pupils in the county.  She felt that more training was required for drivers and school escorts on how to deal with specific medical needs which were more prevalent in ALN pupils, both primary and secondary pupils.  The Head of Education acknowledged that this was an area that required reviewing.  She advised that she had already held preliminary discussions with the Council’s Passenger Transport Manager the previous week with a view to reviewing school transport for ALN pupils.

At the conclusion of the discussion Councillor Arwel Roberts proposed that the Council should use its discretionary powers with respect to the provision of home to school transport for pupils from Rhuddlan attending Ysgol Dewi Sant, Rhyl.  Councillor Dewi Owens seconded the proposal and the Committee supported the recommendation put forward.  It was therefore –

RESOLVED to recommend that the Council review its decision with respect to the provision of home to school transport for pupils from Rhuddlan attending Ysgol Dewi Sant, Rhyl and, in line with its discretionary powers, arranges concessionary travel for those pupils not entitled to free home to school transport.