14.1 The Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sought approval to make changes to the discretionary SEND transport provision from the 2016/17 academic year.
14.2 RESOLVED to approve the implementation of the proposals set out below in order to reduce spend on the discretionary home to school transport (HTST) budget from the start of the academic year.
i. offer support to those demonstrating the ‘highest level of need’ only by introducing tighter ‘exceptions’ criteria for post-16 SEND students and offering the most cost-effective support, as set out in a post-16 SEND transport policy. This would apply only to new applicants from September 2016;
ii. increase the current post-16 transport contribution from £370 to £608 (the 2015 cost of a bus Freedom ticket);
iii. introduce a 50% rate of contribution for low income families, at £304 and
iv. introduce an annual contribution for pre-school SEND travel assistance at the same rates as post-16 travel (£608 / £304).
Reasons
14.3 It is anticipated that East Sussex County Council (ESCC) will need to reduce expenditure by £70-90 million between 2016/17 and 2018/19 and all areas will need to be considered.
3.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sought approval to consult on a review of discretionary Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transport provision for the 2016/17 academic year.
DECISION
3.2 RESOLVED to (1) to approve consultation on the options set out in the report in order to reduce spend on the discretionary home to school/college budget from the start of the 2016/17 academic year;
(2) to approve, two parallel consultations over summer 2015; the first, on reducing the level of support for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and the second on removing travel support for post-16 students from low income families (LIF) and FE link transport; and
(3) to note that decisions on whether to proceed with these changes following the consultation final report and appropriate Scrutiny meetings, will be taken in the context of wider savings proposals by either the Lead Member or Cabinet in November 2015.
Reasons
3.3 It is anticipated that East Sussex County Council will need to reduce expenditure by £70- 90 million between 2016/17 and 2018/19 and all areas will need to be considered.