Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

            Councillor Thomas introduced the School Transport – Sibling Entitlement report which, following formal resolutions from Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet, addressed the issue of sibling entitlement.

Following consideration of the matter, full details of which were outlined in the report, it was proposed that siblings should not have an automatic entitlement to transport and that provision of transport for an older sibling should not create any precedent for younger siblings. 

It was proposed that each application be considered afresh and on its own merits and, if the School Transport Policy had changed since any older sibling received free transport, then the young sibling would be subject to the Policy in force at the time of the latter’s application and anticipated start date.

Councillors Bithell and Roberts supported the recommendation, despite it being a difficult decision, commenting that there was no statutory right to free transport for siblings and that Flintshire had been the only authority to provide such a service.

RESOLVED:

That it be approved that sibling entitlement will not apply for the school transport service provision.