Issue - meetings

Purpose of report

To provide an update on the development of Portsmouth's approach to providing travel assistance and seek approval for the next stages of this work.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Education agrees to:

a)     Consult on the revised Portsmouth travel assistance policies for children of statutory school age and post 16 learners. The revised draft policies and consultation letter are attached at Appendices 2-4.

b)     Delegate to the Director of Children, Families and Education responsibility for finalising the updated policies taking account of feedback during the consultation period.

c)     Note the proposed approach to the commissioning of home to school transport, where provided, which will be implemented fully from 1 September 2020. 

The report was introduced by Julia Katherine (Head of Inclusion).  The reason for the proposed changes has come from feedback that has been received from young people with SEND as part of the annual survey.  Young people have said that learning to travel independently around the city is very important to them and they wanted to learn this skill while at school.   

The Cabinet Member queried why children aged 8 and over living between 2 and 3 miles from their nearest suitable school are not eligible for transport support under the statutory criteria.  Officers explained that this was the statutory guidance and it was the expectation that once a child reaches 8 years of age they should be able to walk for a longer distance to get to school.  This would affect a very small number of children in Portsmouth. 

DECISIONS: The Cabinet Member agreed to:

a) Consult on the revised Portsmouth travel assistance policies for children of statutory school age and post 16 learners. The revised draft policies and consultation letter are attached at Appendices 2-4.

b) Delegate to the Director of Children, Families and Education responsibility for finalising the updated policies taking account of feedback during the consultation period.

c) Note the proposed approach to the commissioning of home to school transport, where provided, which will be implemented fully from 1 September 2020.