23/01/2025 - Have your say on our home to school and college transport policies

• place the council in a better financial position and help solve financial challenges, allowing the council to provide an effective travel service within its limited operating budget
• provide more flexibility on how young people with SEND travel to school and college, which will also support and encourage them to be more independent as they become adults
• remain compliant with updated statutory and discretionary travel guidelines from the Department for Education

The council has a legal duty to provide free home to school travel assistance for eligible children of compulsory school age. It also supports with travel assistance for eligible students aged 16-19-year-olds. And for eligible adults over the age of 19 years attending further or higher education and eligible young adults with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) up to age 25.

Home to school transport costs are part of the council’s core budget and are not covered by additional grants provided by central government. There is a significant and increasing cost to the council due to the rising number of children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and those with an EHCP who are eligible for travel assistance. The number of children with an EHCP has risen from 1,532 in 2019 to 2,796 in 2024 and this is projected to continue to increase to 3,297 by 2030.

To address this, the council needs cost-effective travel assistance strategies. The proposals include changes to eligibility criteria, increased use of personal travel budgets so families can make their own travel arrangements, changes to mileage rates and parent contributions. To view the proposals in detail visit www.luton-hometoschool-consultation.com

The consultation runs until Friday 28 February. Have your say:

Visit: www.luton-hometoschool-consultation.com for more information on the consultation and to complete the online survey. The survey is also available in different formats on request please email [email protected] or call 01582 547801.

In-person drop-in sessions:

Monday, 3 February, 5.30pm to 6.30pm, Chaul End Community Centre, 515 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU4 8QN

Tuesday, 11 February, 10.30am to 11.30am, Futures House, The Moakes, Luton, LU3 3QB

Online sessions:

Tuesday, 4 February, 5.30pm to 6.30pm

Wednesday, 26 February, 1pm to 2pm

To register and receive the link to attend an online session please email [email protected] or call 01582 547801.

Cllr Javeria Hussain, Portfolio Holder with responsibility for education, said: “We are committed to providing effective travel assistance, in the context of huge financial pressures and increasing demand for our services. This is why we have had to look at the impact of our current policies to make sure they are sustainable and fit for purpose.

“Our proposed changes to the home to school and college transport policies aim to provide children and young people with more independence, flexibility and greater choice in how they travel to their place of education.

“The changes if agreed would only affect new applications or when a child or young person moves to a different phase of education, changes school or has a change of address.

“This is a consultation, we do want to receive people’s views so that we have a good understanding of how our proposed changes will impact children, young people and their families, so please have your say by completing our online survey or by attending one of our drop in or online sessions.”