Bridgend Council Launches Consultation on School Transport Savings

A consultation has been launched by Bridgend County Borough Council to identify savings within its home to school transport services.
The move was approved at a cabinet meeting held on March 12, and follows overspends that have been reported throughout 2023-24.
The report given to members showed the cost of the service was over £9m for 2023-24, though it added there had been an annual overspend.
The aim of the consultation will be to look at ways to save around £792,000 from the 2025-26 budget with a number of proposals put forward by officers.
These include the potential removal of all post-16 transport, excluding pupils
attending Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd, Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School, and The Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School – and the ending of the sibling rule, where pupils are entitled to free transport on the same terms as older siblings who attend the same school.
There will also be potential to remove transport for nursery pupils, excluding
pupils attending Welsh-medium or faith schools, and the offer to parents or carers of pupils with additional learning needs the option of a personal transport budget, providing a mileage allowance of 45p per mile.
The report was later passed by members and will now go out for a 12-week consultation period. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​