In 2021-2022 Conwy County Borough Council spent approx. £5.8m on home to school transport and approx. £6.5m in 2022-2023.
There are many reasons for the cost increase:
- Increases in transport costs (fuel, servicing, repairs etc.)
- Capacity issues (vehicle and driver shortages)
- Supply issues (lack of transport operators)
- Increase in the provision of home-to-school transport outside of statutory obligations
- Complexities associated with the appropriate provision of home-to-school transport for learners with additional learning needs (ALN) including specialist vehicles and passenger assistants
- Difficulty in reducing or stopping transport provision if a pupil’s circumstances or situation changes
The approximate percentage of spend on Home to School Transport by criteria in 2022-2023:
Statutory transport costs (excluding ALN): 39%; Pupils with medical or additional learning needs (statutory and non-statutory): 32%; Welsh Medium schools: 14%; Post-16: 10%; Denominational schools: 3%; Other discretionary criteria costs: 2%
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