Contact: Roger Mead, Project Director, Children's Services Dept; telephone number 01962 846183; email address: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decisions were made:

That Cabinet

(a) agrees that Hampshire County Council makes a submission to the Government of a pathfinder bid for school travel which does not commit it to extending charging for home to school transport beyond those who are already charged, and that accordingly section D2 of the draft submission document is amended. Furthermore, and as a matter of principle, the current free home to school transport provision for those pupils entitled on the grounds of distance from their nearest or designated catchment area school, or free school meals or from families in receipt of the maximum level of Working Families Tax Credit, those with special needs, those for whom a walking route is not available and Children Looked After (CLA) will continue.

(b) agrees the submission of a Pathfinder Bid on school travel - home to school transport for three years commencing in 2009/10 and with an initial annual revenue value of up to £2.5 million

(c) authorises the Leader of the County Council to sign off the final submission for submitting to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DfCSF) by 30 November 2007

(d) requests a further report following receipt of the decision from the DfCSF

(e) agrees that the bid should emphasise the rural nature of the county where large numbers of children have a longer than 2 or 3 mile journey to attend the nearest designated school

(f) determines that if the Pathfinder Bid is successful the Government should be requested to provide permanent funding for the scheme once the three year pathfinder period has expired.

2 Reason

2.1 This decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priority:

"Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all" - by reducing the congestion associated with the number of journeys to school by car

"Maximising well-being" - by encouraging more walking and cycling in partnership with external organisations and district councils

"Enhancing our quality of place" - through introducing new options and improvements for children and young people journeying to and from school at different times of day

2.2 The decision supports the following Aims of the Children Act:

Being healthy; Staying safe; Enjoying and achieving; Making a positive contribution; Economic well-being through a menu of options to assist children and young people to attend school

3 Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 The criteria set out in the Pathfinder literature enabled a clear focus to be
achieved from the outset.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 None.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 None.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:
Councillor T.K. Thornber, C.B.E. - Chairman