Controversy over school transport reform in Warwickshire

Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch has pledged to maintain his stance on reforming school transport rules in Warwickshire which he set out in his controversial letter to the government.

The Conservatives, who previously held power in Warwickshire, tabled a motion calling for the letter to be retracted. The motion was supported by everyone except Reform UK councillors.

Despite being in control of Shire Hall, Reform UK does not have an outright majority, meaning other political parties are able to defeat them if they unite in opposition.

However, Councillor Finch has refused to comply. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “In response to the motion, request denied.”

He continued: “There was a consultation for the budget, and it clearly stated that one of the three areas people want to see reduced is home-to-school transport.”

The cost of the transport is projected to cost the council more than £50 million this financial year.

The council’s budget consultation had 554 responses (out of Warwickshire’s population of more than 600,000 people), 79 of which were from county council staff. Residents aged 16-39 were “underrepresented” in the responses.

When ranking areas for spending reductions, 30% (161 people) had home-to-school transport in their top three.

Finch argued that 16% could lose automatic eligibility if the distance was increased by two miles, reducing spending, while caveating this with a commitment to evaluate all potential effects

There is currently a national standard for home-to-school transport eligibility. To access council-funded transport, children under eight must be two miles or more from their nearest available school place. Children over eight must be three miles or more.

Councillor Finch’s letter, published on his social media, asked for the right to increase these distances. He argued that 16% could lose automatic eligibility if the distance was increased by two miles, reducing spending, while caveating this with a commitment to evaluate all potential effects.

The Conservative motion on the letter allowed councillors to express their concerns.

Conservative Councillor Jan Matecki said the letter had been written “without consultation or evidence” and that it was “not just tone-deaf but reckless”.

He suggested Councillor Finch should “set an example” and walk from Coventry Railway Station to Shire Hall, an approximately 10 miles trip, the same distance a parent would be forced to cover if they had to walk five miles to get their child to school.

Warwickshire parents can share their views on a series of updates to home-to-school transport until Sunday 4 January. Reform councillors say the measures are “aimed at improving fairness, consistency, and compliance with home to school national guidance”.