Home To School Transport Changes Will Not Take Place

Amendments to the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy, which were due to take effect from September 2016, will no longer take place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council will shortly contact all parents/guardians of pupils to confirm home to school transport arrangements for 2016/17 academic year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Faster and stronger progress in the delivery of Council wide efficiency savings has provided the financial flexibility to make this decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are continually seeking more efficient ways of delivering services to protect frontline services and, in addition to the protection afforded to local government funding in Wales by the Welsh Government, we are delivering these savings in excess of the levels we set for the Council to achieve. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This proactive approach has provided the flexibility for my Cabinet and I to responsibly reconsider this decision. This will see the service provided to the current level (2015/16 Policy) with no changes now being implemented from September 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have always made clear when we have needed to consider difficult decisions around services that we only do so as a result of the need to set a legally balanced budget. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“None of the tough decisions we have reluctantly taken in recent years have been through choice but as a result of the situation UK government spending cuts have presented us with. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Because of these cuts, the Council has had to make savings of £76m since 2011. The majority of these savings have come from efficiencies and other decisions which haven’t affected frontline provision with service changes only considered as a last resort. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following this decision, out of a budget gap of £20m for 2016/17, less than £1m of the required savings will have come from service changes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a result of this approach, and the focus we have given to the delivery of efficiency savings away from the frontline, in areas such as senior management, procurement, digitalisation and reducing office accommodation and buildings, I am of the view that there is now no longer a need to progress with this decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Council will now contact all parents and guardians who may have been impacted upon by these changes to inform them of the continuation of the current arrangements.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A copy of the decision taken by Cllr Andrew Morgan can be downloaded here ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Reports will shortly be considered by Cabinet and Council to deal with the budgetary impact of this decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​