Local Transport to Faith Schools Cut

The following news item about our area has been copied from the National Secular Society's Newsline:

Faith school transport to be cut in East Sussex

Another local authority is planning to cut discriminatory subsidised transport for pupils going to "faith schools".

East Sussex Country Council says it will save £500,000 a year by axing the subsidised transport currently provided for primary pupils to get to faith schools if they live more than two miles away (three miles for secondary pupils). The cuts will affect some 1,350 pupils in East Sussex.

Councillor Keith Glazier said: "We need to be very clear that this is about proposed cuts to support we currently choose to provide. Many other local authorities do not provide any assistance for families who chose church schools over their local school. And other parents who choose not to send their child to a local school have to pay the full transport costs."

Mr Glazier said: "Our priority has to be to protect key frontline services, especially those for vulnerable children, and we are having to look at all services to see where savings can be made."

Mandatory free transport provided for pupils of families receiving benefit is unaffected. Parents are to be consulted on council's plans between 22 July and 30 September. A final decision will be made in the autumn, with church school transport likely to be cut from January.