Poole students set to lose free travel (From Bournemouth Echo)

Poole students set to lose free travel

8:20am Thursday 18th February 2010 in

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MOST Poole students over 16 are set to lose their free transport to school or college.

And some, such as those travelling to Brockenhurst College by train, could be faced with £1,000-a-year travel costs.

Poole Council currently funds travel costs for 129 students.

But is is likely to slash its £99,000 budget by £65,000 and severely limit its discretionary transport policy from September 2010.

“We have got to make that saving,” said Cllr Tony Woodcock, cabinet portfolio holder for children’s services. “We can’t afford this at the moment.”

He said this was a discretionary award that no other local authority in the area provided and covered travel by rail, bus and taxi for 16- to 19-year-old students living five miles or more from the college or school.

“We would love to be that generous and continue it, obviously, but we have an obligation to keep council tax down and we can’t continue to do it,” said Cllr Woodcock.

However, the children’s services overview and scrutiny committee recommended Cabinet not to proceed with the proposals, which they viewed as discriminatory.

Cabinet noted their views but decided to continue with the cut as part of its budget strategy, which was slammed as “disgraceful” by Liberal Democrats.

“This proposal will have a serious impact upon students from low-income families,” said Cllr Sandra Moore.

“To take away all assistance from such students is clearly discriminatory as it would reduce their opportunities for further education.”

From September, free transport for new applicants would be provided only to students with special educational needs without a statement, and those with significant medical conditions, where the parents receive the maximum working tax credit and the school or college is more than five miles from the home address.