Cuts to a council scheme providing school transport for more than 100 children have been supported by council leaders, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Bill Edgar.
Durham County Council’s cabinet voted on plans to end its Maintained Concessionary Scheme at the end of the academic year amid a sharp rise in costs and demand.
The local authority provides daily transport to 9,000 passengers with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and other special provisions. However, its budget has skyrocketed from £11.3 million in 2019/20 to an estimated £38.8 million for next year.
The current Maintained Concessionary Scheme is one of three that the council operates, and provides transport to 143 children at nine schools who do not meet the government’s eligibility criteria. However, it operates at a loss of around £200,000 per year, the council said.
Cathy Hunt, cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “Home-to-school transport (HTST) remains one of the council’s fastest-growing financial pressures, driven mainly by the rising demand for SEND transport, increasing complex needs, and market cost increases.”
The former Joint Administration in charge of the authority agreed in principle in 2023 to phase out the concessionary scheme, which was reiterated in 2024.
Local authorities must provide free transportation for school-age children who are unable to walk to their nearest suitable school because of distance, SEND, or safety issues. The need is greater in rural counties like County Durham, which, on average, transports almost twice as many children as other areas.
The specialist transport is described as playing a crucial role in getting children to school. But councils around the country are making cutbacks after it became one of the largest spending pressures on local authority budgets.
Rising demand and costs have been interwoven with the rapid growth in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The increased number of cases means more expensive options such as taxis and passenger assistants are being utilised, dramatically increasing overall costs.
Cabinet members backed plans to undertake a review of post-16 travel assistance, after a sharp rise in costs from £1 million in 2018 to £4.7 million in 2024.
Bill Edgar
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
