MP hits at travel cut

2:19pm Tuesday 2nd January 2007

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STOURBRIDGE MP Lynda Waltho has accused Dudley Council of using underhand tactics' to cut transport for children with special needs.

The announcement was made just before the kids broke up for Christmas and any appeals have to be made before January 15.

Parents of up to 70 children with special needs were told their free taxi service to and from schools needed to be reviewed due to an error on the part of the education department.

MP Lynda Waltho (pictured) said: "Once again the education department is up to its old tricks of announcing a major decision to cut services just before a school holiday. They did it with Beauty Bank and Cradley High School last year.

"One can never quite work out whether this is by design or inadequate management though, neither prospect is attractive."

Children with special educational needs are offered free transport by Dudley Council, in the form of free bus passes, a taxi, minibus or coach depending on their special needs and the advice of parents, teachers and officers.

The policy is currently being reviewed and Lynda plans with parliamentary colleagues to raise the matter with Ministers.

She added: "It gives me no pleasure to have to raise this once again, the haphazard way in which this department appears to be led.

"But once again we see just how little regard there is for parents, Dudley's pupils and stability of the education of our young people."

Dudley MP Ian Pearson has also slammed the move.

John Freeman, Dudley's director of children's services, said parents were being asked to re-assess if there was a need for school transport, but stressed assistance would not be taken away unless it could no longer be justified.

Guidelines state children up to eight are entitled to transport if they live more than two miles from school, and children over eight are entitled to help if they live further than three miles from school.