FOLLOWING extensive consultation, Leicester City Council has revised its proposals to end post-16 school transport funding for young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND).
The council’s draft new travel policy proposes that support will still be provided to young people whose complex special education needs and disabilities mean they won’t be able to learn to travel independently.
Students who qualify for support would receive a personal transport budget which could be used to pay for any means of transport including a lift in a family car, or a bus pass. At current rates this would be a payment of 45 pence a mile, plus £500 a year.
Support could be increased and include taxi or bus provision if a student also has limited exceptional circumstances, and failure to provide this support would lead to financial hardship.
Those students who don’t qualify would be supported to take up independent travel training, to learn the skills they need to travel by public transport, and lead more independent lives.
Cllr Elaine Pantling, asst city mayor for children’s services said: “Many councils stopped funding post-16 transport some time ago, while in Leicester we have continued to support it for as long as we can. Unfortunately, our financial position means we can no longer do this.
“However, we have carefully considered all of the responses received as part of our consultation and have put forward some new proposals as a result.
“Our new policy would mean that around 83% of post-16 students with SEND would still receive transport funding, while an additional 4% would qualify for support due to their complex additional needs.
“We know that some students will be half-way through their studies if the new policy is introduced, and to avoid disrupting them, we are proposing that those now in year 12 will continue to receive support during year 13, for the academic year 2025/26.
“Support will be offered to all those students who don’t meet the proposed qualifying criteria, to help them to take advantage of independent travel training, school bursaries, and alternative options for travel support that are available.
“I can also give a commitment that the council will put more resources into independent travel training, and will build on the very good work being done at schools like Ellesmere College.”
As of March this year, 208 post-16 students with SEND were receiving financial support from the council at a cost of around £1.8m a year. The council predicts this cost would rise to at least £2.6m in 2025/26 if no action were taken.
Councils are not required to provide post-16 SEND transport, and receive no funding from the Government to do so.
Funding had been due to end in July 2024, following a previous consultation, but after concerns were raised by some parents about the process, the council agreed that funding would continue for the 2024/2025 academic year, and a new consultation would take place.
The council’s budget is in crisis due to years of government austerity, rising costs of social care and an increase in homeless families.
Savings made would contribute towards the £23m of savings the council needs to make by 2027/28. Even with the savings, the council is predicting an estimated shortfall of £68m between income and expenditure by 2027/28.
The final decision on the adoption of the policy is due to be made on Tuesday 13 May.
The council’s proposed travel policies are available on its website:
Decision - SEND Post-16 Transport: Proposed Policies