School bus price hike leads to private deal Options

[Andy Capp]

It seems it is not just parking that West Berkshire Council want to profit from. It make you wonder what other services are being 'over charged'. Refuse collection maybe? Still, this is the organisation Simon Kirby would rather we would be 'ruled' by.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/school-...to-private-deal

[Simon Kirby]

Still, this is the organisation Simon Kirby would rather we would be 'ruled' by.

Huh?

[JeffG]

This is the same story we read about here in the Farepayer Bus Pass thread a couple of weeks ago.

[Strafin]

Seems to be, and what a great story it is. Sadly it probably means the taxpayer is now getting worse value for money, as the council still have to run the service.

[user23]

So, if I have this right, a school that has become an Academy, choosing to cut their ties to the local council are then complaining that the same local council aren't providing a service for them and they're having to organise it themselves?

Surely if you choose to be independent and do everything yourself, the big drawback is you have to organise stuff like this yourself?

[Simon Kirby]

So, if I have this right, a school that has become an Academy, choosing to cut their ties to the local council are then complaining that the same local council aren't providing a service for them and they're having to organise it themselves?

Surely if you choose to be independent and do everything yourself, the big drawback is you have to organise stuff like this yourself?

That doesn't appear to be what the story is saying. From memory Phil has said that the council moved the zone boundaries so that he saw a doubling of the fare. It appears to have been a problem facing a number of parents because Trinity has a catchment several miles wide, and so the school's resourceful head has arranged transport herself - something that WBC could and should have been doing.

Of course if you're right that the school is an academy and the council has no reason why it should provide transport, then you make a very good point - can you clarify?

[Simon Kirby]

Seems to be, and what a great story it is. Sadly it probably means the taxpayer is now getting worse value for money, as the council still have to run the service.

You also have to ask how the school can provide a better service for less money than the council - why hasn't the council been shopping around looking for better value carriers?

[user23]

That doesn't appear to be what the story is saying. From memory Phil has said that the council moved the zone boundaries so that he saw a doubling of the fare. It appears to have been a problem facing a number of parents because Trinity has a catchment several miles wide, and so the school's resourceful head has arranged transport herself - something that WBC could and should have been doing.

Of course if you're right that the school is an academy and the council has no reason why it should provide transport, then you make a very good point - can you clarify?

The school is an Academy and as I understand it has no link to the council any more. I think the way they are funded is the money which used to go to the council now goes direct to Trinity.

Why should the council have to provide a subsidised service to an organisation they have no connection with especially given it's recently been announced that the average council will have to find another £10m of savings.

[Simon Kirby]

Why should the council have to provide a subsidised service to an organisation they have no connection with especially given it's recently been announced that the average council will have to find another £10m of savings.

Like I say, if you're right about Trinity being an academy then I agree completely. However, it would still be interesting to know whether the Council's transport costs could be reduced if they considered alternative carriers in the way Trinity has, though that's a separate issue.

[JeffG]

Why the doubt, Simon? It is a fact that Trinity is an academy.

[badger]

but rather than providing a service to the school, the transport is providing a service to the pupils of the school. As an academy are they still allocated children by the council? i.e if I opt for my child to attend say, Kennet and they are turned down but are offered a place at Trinity then I am left with the cost - even though it was more convenient for me to get my child to Kennet. Therefore, the deal is really to benefit the family not the school. It would benefit them in terms of attendence etc as easier / cheaper transport would mean a better attendence I expect.

[Simon Kirby]

Why the doubt, Simon? It is a fact that Trinity is an academy.

I didn't know it was an academy, I was just waiting for some confirmation. I'm just a bit surprised that someone from the council didn't make this point in the article as it does seem fundamental.

[Strafin]

The council have to provide free transport to the school for those who qualify, that is their duty. They might as well in addition take other pupils as well, to help towards some of the costs but have opted not to, by pricing themselves out of the market. So now they are using the same resources but not gaining any money in from doing so. I don't see anyone from Trinity complaining, but some parents did, prompting the head to sort out this alternative, and yes it does make you wonder why the council are again easily undercut by a private company.

[Andy Capp]

The council have to provide free transport to the school for those who qualify, that is their duty. They might as well in addition take other pupils as well, to help towards some of the costs but have opted not to, by pricing themselves out of the market. So now they are using the same resources but not gaining any money in from doing so. I don't see anyone from Trinity complaining, but some parents did, prompting the head to sort out this alternative, and yes it does make you wonder why the council are again easily undercut by a private company.

Exactly, we were already told that there are better refuse collection arrangements in Berkshire than that arranged by WBC, now this, so I wonder what others there are. Any apparent attempt to troll user23 is purely intentional!

[newres]

Exactly, we were already told that there are better refuse collection arrangements in Berkshire than that arranged by WBC, now this, so I wonder what others there are. Any apparent attempt to troll user23 is purely intentional!

IT is the obvious one. Either outsource or merge with a better run department.

[MontyPython]

The school is an Academy and as I understand it has no link to the council any more. I think the way they are funded is the money which used to go to the council now goes direct to Trinity.

Why should the council have to provide a subsidised service to an organisation they have no connection with especially given it's recently been announced that the average council will have to find another £10m of savings.

It's not about subsidising the service it's about WBC ripping the parents off.

They are now getting a cheaper service (no mention of any subsidy from either the academy or council) than WBC had managed to arrange. So either the WBC figure of £420 includes a mark up of £170 per pupil or the WBC officers in Market Street are extremely poor at negotiating a commercial deal! More reason for job cuts in Market Street where the publics money still appears to be wasted!

[Phil_D11102]

As an academy are they still allocated children by the council?

Yes, the council decides where the kids go. They are still obligated to get those kids to school who are 3 or more miles away.

It's not about subsidising the service it's about WBC ripping the parents off.

They are now getting a cheaper service (no mention of any subsidy from either the academy or council) than WBC had managed to arrange. So either the WBC figure of £420 includes a mark up of £170 per pupil or the WBC officers in Market Street are extremely poor at negotiating a commercial deal! More reason for job cuts in Market Street where the publics money still appears to be wasted!

WBC came up with this after some brainiac in Whitehall said local council can cut the service. For the school to do the council's job just goes to show how stupid the council could be by putting kids at risk. I as a parent don't mind paying for a service, but I won't get robbed in the process.

[user23]

I thought the school doing the council's job was the whole idea behind academies?

[Exhausted]

So, if I have this right, a school that has become an Academy, choosing to cut their ties to the local council are then complaining that the same local council aren't providing a service for them and they're having to organise it themselves?

Surely if you choose to be independent and do everything yourself, the big drawback is you have to organise stuff like this yourself?

I don't think you have understood what really happened. WBC provide free transport for certain pupils to get them to school. Any space left is sold to the fare paying pupils. WBC doubled the fare for those pupils so the school have said we don't want to use the WBC buses and have organised their own at half the price.

They, the school, are not complaining although the parents who were forced to used the WBC bus are but are relieved that the headteacher has sourced her own transport and the subsidised WBC buses are now only required for the the free transport children.

Great use of their academy status even though WBC still place children with them that they have to accept but may not really want.

[On the edge]

I thought the school doing the council's job was the whole idea behind academies?

And there are the rest of us thinking that academies were invented because the Councils weren't doing the job!