Ilkley parents take bus pass battle all the way (From Ilkley Gazette)

Ilkley parents take bus pass battle all the way

4:10pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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Parents of children at Ilkley Grammar have struck a major blow against school transport policy that leaves them thousands of pounds out of pocket. If they are successful, the education authority could be left with a bill running into millions.

The parents have refused to back down despite resistance from education officials and rejection by an appeals panel, and this week took their case to a full council meeting at Bradford City Hall – when it was agreed their petition should be considered by the council’s executive.

One mother told the council meeting that some children had to pay around £400-a-year to travel on the same school bus as their neighbours who don’t have to pay anything. Over a five-year school life this adds up to £2,000 per child.

The policy even results in different gender children from the same family and living in the same house, being granted free travel while others were not, said Sally Portz.

The rules state that any child living more than three miles away from their chosen secondary school is entitled to a free bus pass, unless a closer alternative school was rejected.

The problem arises over the interpretation of the word ‘alternative’.

According to education officials, children living in the Holme Grove and Endor Crescent areas, on the edge of Burley, cannot get free travel to their chosen school – Ilkley Grammar – because Guiseley Fieldhead school, at approximately 2.8 miles away, is regarded as an ‘alternative’ school choice for the children.

Mrs Portz and four other families affected by the rules appealed against the decision and then raised a petition in the village which they, along with Burley-in-Wharfedale Parish Council chairman Keith Dale, presented to Bradford Council this week.

Mrs Portz told councillors that not only was Guiseley school in another local authority’s area (Leeds), it had no connection with schools in Burley and no Burley children attended it. It could not be considered a practical ‘alternative’ choice to Ilkley Grammar which has always been regarded as the natural progression for Burley children.

She said: “This is an unfair and unjust outcome for our children who have to pay to get on the same bus at the same bus stop as their friends who travel for free.”

The children living a few hundred yards away and, in once case, next door, according to Mrs Portz, were outside Guiseley’s three-mile limit and therefore got a free travel pass.

She said that the petition called for changes to the travel policy to prevent it being unfair to the children. Mrs Portz received a round of applause from the councillors and Ilkley district and parish councillor Anne Hawkesworth reco-mmended that the petition be considered by the council’s executive. The recommend-ation was seconded by Burley-in-Wharfedale parish councillor Matt Palmer.

Parish Councillor Dale Smith said before the meeting: “This group of parents are annoyed because they think they have a right to be. We have two sets of children. One set who have no bus pass getting on the same bus at the same bus stop as children who do have a bus pass. I took it to the parish council and we felt it was unfair and disadvantaged families.”

“I have read about children in the same family where one hasn’t got a bus pass and one has it. It is fairly strange really.

“Children from Burley-in-Wharfedale just don’t go to Guiseley School – it is a simple as that.”

Sue Colman, Bradford Council’s assistant director for services to children and young people, said: “The transport policy allows for free transport to be given to pupils who live further than the statutory distance, two miles for children under eight and three miles for those aged eight or more, from the nearest suitable qualifying school, even if this school is in another local authority. This is a national statute and is part of council policy.

“During 2008, 361 applications for free passes were declined on the grounds they were not the nearest available school.

“While we are sympathetic to difficulties that parents may face, changes to the policy would require consultation and consideration of the impact on the overall transport budget.”

If the figures are average for a year, the cost for the education budget would run into millions of pounds if the policy was changed.

But after the meeting, the head of Bradford’s services to young people, Addingham councillor Michael Kelly, said he was impressed by the parents’ argument.

He said: “I just thought it was an extraordinary tale to listen to and extremely well presented. I look forward to it coming to the executive to hear what the background to it all is.”

Before the meeting, Mrs Portz said that she started collecting signatures for the petition after feeling let down by the appeals process.

“We went to appeal but that was a bit of a farce. We have tried to go about it in a reasonable way but we have come up against brick wall,” said Mrs Portz.

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