| An
SELB spokesperson said: “The Board has a statutory duty
to provide transport assistance for eligible pupils. The main
criterion for eligibility is distance from the nearest suitable
school – two miles for primary school and three miles
for post primary. “After the requirements of all eligible
pupils have been met, the Board may offer seats to pupils
on a concessionary basis. Concessionary seats are surplus
seats after eligible pupils have been accommodated and must
not involve the board in any unnecessary public expenditure.
“As a result of a review of transport carried out by
Board officers in the latter part of 2002 it was identified
that on 17 runs the Board’s policy on concessionary
travel was not being applied. On these runs 95 eligible pupils
and 473 concessionary pupils were being transported with additional
costs of £200k per year, which had not been justified.
“School transport policy must be applied in a fair and
equitable manner across the Board area. The criteria for offers
of transport assistance have not been consistently applied.
As a result of the Board’s decision on Thursday (January
15) this position will now be corrected.
“However, following extensive consultation and representation
from parents, schools and elected representatives, the Board
agreed to a proposal to phase out transport assistance for
pupils who are currently benefiting from it outside the criteria,
rather than end it immediately. Pupils on the 17 runs identified
who had started school in 2003/04 will be considered as eligible
for transport assistance, a year’s extension on an earlier
proposal.
“Criteria to be eligible for transport assistance is
set by the Department of Education and the Board has a duty
to carry out this policy. At its meeting on Thursday, Board
members agreed to send a strongly worded letter to the Department
of Education requesting an urgent review of school transport
policy.
“Although some pupils may not qualify for transport
assistance under the distance from school criteria, they may
be eligible under other criteria such as a statement of special
needs or exceptional circumstances, for example, a medical
condition or exceptional road safety hazards.
“Exceptional road safety hazards will be assessed under
Local Authority Road Safety Officers’ Association guidelines
on Identification of Hazards and Assessment of Risks of Walked
Routes to School. Board officers are to be trained in the
use of these independent guidelines.
“Applications under each criterion will be considered
on their own merits and successful applicants will be treated
as eligible for transport assistance.
“Some new applicants may qualify under exceptional road
safety hazards and will be eligible pupils; some may not qualify
and will not be eligible but may get concessionary seats;
some will not get concessionary seats and it will be the parents’
responsibility to get their children to school. This is the
policy operating in other parts of the SELB and the decision
made on Thursday will mean it will now apply across the whole
Board.
“Parents of pupils on the 17 runs who are now considered
eligible for transport will be written to by the Board and
it’s important that they reply to this correspondence.
”The schools serviced by the 17 runs, where children
already attending and in receipt of concessionary transport,
will continue to get transport assistance include:
Derrychrin PS; Drumenny Road, Cookstown.
St Peter’s PS, Moortown; Cookstown.
St Patrick’s PS, Aughadarragh; Augher
Ballylifford PS; Ballinderry Bridge Road, Cookstown.
Eglish PS, Stilgoa Road, Dungannon.
St Patrick’s PS, Mullinahoe; Ardboe, Dungannon.
Ballytrea PS; Gortnaskea Road, Stewartstown.
Presentation PS; Thomas Street, Portadown.
Donacloney PS; Baird Avenue, Donacloney.
St Patrick’s PS, Drumgreenagh; Rathfriland
Clonalig PS; Concession Road, Crossmaglen.
Anamar PS; Kiltybane Road, Crossmaglen.
Darkley PS; Darkley, Armagh
Brownlow College; Tullygally Road, Craigavon
40 pupils at schools in Magherafelt getting a connecting bus
in the Ardboe area
14 Board members voted in favour of the concessionary transport
proposal and 6 members voted against.
A three-member delegation addressed Thursday’s Board
meeting representing pupils receiving concessionary transport.
A total of 149 letters were received by the SELB expressing
opposition to the recommendation – 84 from parents and
65 from other interested parties.
|
