THAT: Cabinet agreed to amend or remove the discretionary transport policies with effect from 1 September 2014 as detailed in this report, as follows:

(a)    To withdraw the Herefordshire free home to school transport policy eligibility based upon nearest and catchment school and replace with eligibility based upon:

i)       nearest suitable school with places,

ii)      in England;

(b)      Continue to provide the Herefordshire free home to school transport policy eligibility based upon nearest and catchment school only for those pupils entering Y10 or in Y11 at their current school on 1 September 2014 so they may complete their study programmes;

(c)       To continue to charge parents for a seat on a school bus (because the child is not eligible for free transport) but reduce the Council’s subsidy by increasing annual charge by £60 (£1.58 a week) from £660 to £720 (£17.36 - £ 18.95)  in September 2014 and to  annually review the subsidy each September thereafter to take account of operating costs;

(d)      To continue to charge post 16 transport but to reduce the Council’s subsidy by increasing the annual charge by £60 (from £660 to £720) in September 2014 and to annually review the subsidy each September thereafter to take account of operating costs;

(e)       To withdraw free transport for Herefordshire post 16 years with SEN and replace with the requirement to meet the annual charge of £720 from April 2014. This to be annually reviewed each September thereafter to take account of operating costs; and

(f)        The implications of these policy changes be reviewed annually or sooner in the event that the impact of the proposed changes was materially worse than anticipated.