This Council notes the disappointing Home to School Transport policy approved by the Executive Board in July 2013. Council is particularly concerned that this policy could give rise to the serious accusation that it is unfairly penalising parents and young people who wish to choose a faith based education.
This Council recognises the need to make savings to the Council’s budgets to ensure the continuation of essential services to the residents of Leeds. However, the scale of annual Leeds City Council expenditure on transport is such that the decision to focus savings on Home to School transport shows a lack of imagination and a failure to come up with flexible solutions that will save money while maintaining highly valued frontline services.
This Council instructs the Deputy Chief Executive to implement a full review of transport spending across the Council, to be informed by the Scrutiny Inquiry into Home to School Transport, and implemented before any changes to transport policy are introduced by the Children’s Services Department.
A LAMB
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Lamb, seconded by Councillor Anderson that this Council notes the disappointing Home to School Transport policy approved by the Executive Board in July 2013. Council is particularly concerned that this policy could give rise to the serious accusation that it is unfairly penalising parents and young people who wish to choose a faith based education.
This Council recognises the need to make savings to the Council’s budgets to ensure the continuation of essential services to the residents of Leeds. However, the scale of annual Leeds City Council expenditure on transport is such that the decision to focus savings on Home to School transport shows a lack of imagination and a failure to come up with flexible solutions that will save money while maintaining highly valued frontline services.
This Council instructs the Deputy Chief Executive to implement a full review of transport spending across the Council, to be informed by the Scrutiny Inquiry into Home to School Transport, and implemented before any changes to transport policy are introduced by the Children’s Services Department.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor S Bentley, that this Council recognises that its revised Home to School Transport policy is part of an on-going review of all the Council’s discretionary spend, including all spend on transport.
Council welcomes the input of Scrutiny into the implementation phase of the policy.
Council further notes the increasing demands on Children’s Services due to the challenging financial climate and recognises the extremely difficult budgetary decisions facing the Administration.
Council welcomes the positive statements of intent from all interested parties to continue to work with us to deliver an improved and fairer service to all young people in Leeds.
The amendment in the name of Councillor Blake was carried, and upon being put as the substantive motion, it was
RESOLVED - That this Council recognises that its revised Home to School Transport policy is part of an on-going review of all the Council’s discretionary spend, including all spend on transport.
Council welcomes the input of Scrutiny into the implementation phase of the policy.
Council further notes the increasing demands on Children’s Services due to the challenging financial climate and recognises the extremely difficult budgetary decisions facing the Administration.
Council welcomes the positive statements of intent from all interested parties to continue to work with us to deliver an improved and fairer service to all young people in Leeds.
On the requisition of Councillors G Latty and J Procter, the voting on the amendment was recorded as follows:-
YES
Akhtar, Atha, J Bentley, S Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Blake, Bruce, Campbell, Chapman, Charlwood, Cleasby, Congreve, Coupar, Cummins, Davey, Dawson, Dobson, Downes, Dowson, Dunn, Gabriel, Golton, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, P Gruen, M Hamilton, S Hamilton, Hardy, Harington, Harland, G Harper, J Harper, A Hussain, G Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Ingham, Iqbal, Jarosz, Khan, Lay, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, Macniven, Maqsood, A McKenna, J McKenna, Mitchell, Morgan, Mulherin, Nagle, Nash, Ogilvie, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Sobel, E Taylor, Towler, Townsley ,Truswell, Urry, Walker, Walshaw, Wakefield, Yeadon.
71
NO
Anderson, Buckley, Castle, Cohen, Collins, Fox, Harrand , Lamb, G Latty, P Latty, J Procter, Robinson, Wilkinson.
13
ABSTAIN
Elliott, Finnigan, Gettings, Varley 4