Archived decisions

COUNCIL MEETING, 22 NOVEMBER 2007

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE LEAD MEMBER FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES (EDUCATION)

AND EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

EDUCATION AND INSPECTIONS ACT 2006 - SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL TO SCHOOL

1 The Education and Inspections Act 2006 sets out a number of new requirements and statutory duties for Local Education and Transport Authorities. These relate to arrangements for transporting children to and from school or college and the promotion of sustainable transport modes to pupils and parents. The Government is providing grant funding to Local Authorities to meet the additional expenditure pressure in delivering the new duties and is developing detailed guidance on the approach to be taken. As required by the legislation the County Council has published on Hantsweb an initial sustainable school travel strategy. The new elements for local authorities are as follows:

(a) a duty to promote sustainable travel modes for travel associated with education for children and young people of sixth form age;


(b) an expansion of travel arrangements for home to school transport;


(c) the making of sustainable travel arrangements for `eligible children' in a local authority area to support low income families and


(d) opportunities for School Travel Pathfinder Schemes where local authorities can apply for Pathfinder status to promote the development of their approach to the travel and transport needs of all pupils in their area.

2 In response to the County Council's new responsibility to promote sustainable travel modes, a proposed set of actions has been developed following close collaboration between the Children's Services and Environment Departments. These actions are intended to meet those targets deemed to be required against each of the County Council's responsibilities concerning this new initiative. Also, the Government is making available an additional £4 million in 2007/08 to local authorities to enable them to support the new requirements and to provide additional staff resources in future years. It is further proposed in Hampshire to establish a home to school travel and transport steering group to cement existing close cross-department working on the delivery of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. The intention is for this group, consisting of appropriate senior officers from the Environment and Children's Services Departments, to liaise on a regular basis with the Executive Member for Environment and the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education). In relation to the School Travel Pathfinder Scheme mentioned earlier, Hampshire has confirmed interest in being considered as a Pathfinder authority and a final bid has been considered by Cabinet prior to submission.

3 The Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education) and Executive Member for Environment have considered a report of the Director of Children's Services and the Director of Environment on this item. The two Executive Members support the proposed actions and way forward being proposed to meet the County Council's new responsibility to promote sustainable travel to schools. Copies of the report are available in the Members' Rooms.

4 The decisions support the promotion of sustainable travel to schools in Hampshire in accordance with the relevant legislation. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.

DAVID KIRK PATRICIA BANKS

Executive Lead Member for Executive Member for

Children's Services (Education) Children and Families