STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council is inviting parents to get in touch with their views about proposed changes to arrangements for home to school transport.
The local authority is reviewing its policy so it reflects the statutory guidance set by the Department for Education.
The guidelines state that children will be eligible for home to school transport if:
- they are under eight years of age and the nearest suitable school is more than two miles away
- they are between eight and 16 years of age and the nearest suitable school is more than three miles away
- they cannot be reasonably expected to walk to school because of a mobility problem or health and safety issues related to special educational needs or a disability
- the route to the nearest suitable school is unsafe.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Ann McCoy, said: “We are inviting all parents, including parents of children who have not yet reached school age, to get in touch with their views on the draft proposals so they can be considered before the draft policy is finalised.”
The consultation will run from the 20 May until 5 July and responses will be reported to the Council’s Cabinet in July.
Subject to Cabinet approval, the new policy will be finalised before parents make their school place applications for September 2017. However, there will be no changes to the existing transport arrangements in place for children who have already accepted a school place for September 2016 or who are already attending a primary or secondary school in the Borough.
Information about how to take part in the consultation can be found at www.stockton.gov.uk/consultation