HERTFORD - 19 July 2006 - 470 words
HERTFORD - 19 July 2006 - 470 words
Update:
Herts faith groups pledge to fight on for free school transport
(Following the publication of this story earlier today, we were contacted by Hertfordshire Coounty Council press office, who asked us to publish a quote from them. This has been added to the end of the story.)
Parents, teachers and faith leaders in Hertfordshire have pledged to continue their campaign for free school transport following a decision yesterday by Hertfordshire County Council to end the service.
More than 1,500 parents, teachers and children came from all over Hertfordshire to protest against the plan which was discussed at a County Council meeting. They were joined by Catholic Bishop James O'Brien, the Rt Revd Christopher Foster, Anglican Bishop of Hertford, Rabbi Arial Abel and His Holiness Krishna Das Swami.
But the council voted 40 to 29 to scrap free transport. The decision goes for approval to a meeting of Hertfordshire's Executive Cabinet which will take place next Monday, 24th July.
In opposing the proposal to end free transport to faith schools, campaigners pointed out the very significant financial contribution parents of children at faith schools make to the upkeep and development of school buildings. Faith schools are required to finance 10% of such costs themselves with the remainder coming from direct grants by central government. This saves Hertfordshire County Council several million pounds of expenditure each year, which would otherwise be its responsibility, were these schools community schools.
In a public consultation held recently by Hertfordshire County Council, an overwhelming majority of respondents rejected the proposal; out of 18,984 responses, 15,667 were against the ending of free faith transport.
Paul Barber, Director of Education for the Diocese of Westminster said: "The Diocese of Westminster is determined to oppose this decision. We will ontinue to make our views known to Hertfordshire County Council and will also be seeking advice as to whether their plans are lawful.
"If carried out, today's decision by Hertfordshire County Council would mean that in future many children in the County would no longer be able to attend faith schools of their choice. In Essex, where similar proposals have already been implemented, many families, particularly those from poorer families, have been prevented from accessing their schools.
"As recently as last month the Secretary of State for Education said: 'The Secretary of State hopes that LEA's will continue to think it right not to disturb well-established arrangements, some of which have been associated with local agreements or understandings about the siting of denominational schools. The Secretary of State continues to attach importance to the opportunity that many parents have to choose a school or college in accordance with their religious convictions.'
"I hope that the Cabinet of Hertfordshire County Council, which meets next Monday, will see fit to consider this advice from the DfES and either reject or put on hold the proposal to end free transport to faith schools."
Parents will have to pay £100 a term or more, per child, if free transport ends. "Many parents simply won't be able to afford this," one mother told ICN.
In a statement issued this morning, Hertfrdshire County Council said that under their proposals, the current provision of free faith transport: "will be phased out from September 2007. However, children entitled to free school meals will continue to receive free transport to their nearest faith school, if that school is over the statutory walking distance - more than two miles for children under eight and more than three miles for children aged eight and over. Children with siblings already at the faith school they join (except those in the sixth form) and getting free transport through the existing policy, will also be entitled to free transport."
A church spokesman pointed out that in order to qualify for free school meals, parents' income must be no more than ££14,155 per year. (The current 'poverty line' designated by the government. "This means that if parents earn £10 over this they will not qualify," he said. He further pointed out that fares to school from some parts of the County would be as high as £500 per term.
Source: Archbishops House/ICN
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