Plans to review home-to-school transport across the Isle of Wight, potentially saving the Council more than £1.5million over the next 3 years, have been given the green light to progress to the next stage.
Councillors on the Children’s Services, Education and Skills Committee have endorsed a series of budget-saving proposals aimed at reducing spending, managing demand and making better use of resources.
The decision was made at County Hall on Thursday (15th October), following consideration of a report by Ashley Whittaker, the Isle of Wight Council’s Strategic Director of Children’s Services.
As previously reported by Island Echo, one of the key proposals involves reviewing how home-to-school transport is commissioned and delivered, including reassessing existing users and strengthening eligibility checks.
The Council is also considering greater use of personal transport budgets and independent travel training, with the aim of helping more young people travel independently where appropriate.
The review would seek to ensure transport arrangements meet the Council’s legal obligations while delivering better value for money.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Whittaker acknowledged the Council’s “very challenging” financial situation.
He said the proposals were part of a wider vision to transform children’s services, improving outcomes for young people while reducing the number of children requiring statutory intervention.
The school transport proposals come amid existing concerns from parents over changes to bus arrangements across the Island.
Earlier this year, the Council opened 6 previously dedicated school bus routes to members of the public, prompting safeguarding concerns from some parents about children travelling alongside unrelated adults.
The affected services included routes serving Carisbrooke College, Christ the King College, Ryde Academy and the Island Free School.
Meanwhile, parents in the West Wight launched a petition calling for a dedicated school bus service to Medina College after concerns were raised about 11-year-olds facing journeys of around 1 hour and 20 minutes each way, involving 2 public buses.
However, the latest savings proposals do not identify any individual school transport routes for withdrawal or confirm whether existing services will be reduced.
Alongside the transport review, councillors have backed further consideration of proposals to strengthen the Council’s foster care offer.
These include increasing the availability of suitable homes for children and young people, while reducing reliance on expensive emergency accommodation.
Cllr Andrew Garratt, Liberal Democrat Vice-Chair of the committee, said he was very content with the proposals.
He told the meeting:
“What I do see here are things that don’t create a new hole in the future but do start filling the financial hole that we have now.”
Island First Network councillor Jules Hayward said she felt reassured by the long-term thinking behind the proposals, particularly the potential for investment now to deliver both improved outcomes for young people and financial savings in the future.
Conservative councillor Ed Blake agreed that transformation was needed within the Council but warned that some of the proposals carried a degree of risk.
Although the committee has endorsed the plans, no savings measures have yet been formally approved.
The proposals will now progress to the Policy, Finance and Resources Committee for further consideration as part of the Council’s wider budget-setting process.
