THE controversial decision to axe free school buses for hundreds of children at Warrington has been “called in” for further consideration.
Five councillors – Conservative Sheila Woodyatt and Liberal Democrats Mike Biggin, Graham Welborn, Ian Marks and 
Peter Walker – are supporting the move.
The call-in has been authorised as constitutionally valid by the council’s deputy monitoring officer and the children’s services directorate has been asked to cease any actions they were undertaking to implement the decision taken by the executive board on Monday.
The call-in, initiated by Cllr Biggin (pictured), has been made on the grounds of an alleged lack of adherence to decision-making principles in that the decision is not proportionate to the desired outcome and because of a lack of, or inappropriate, consultation.
The issue will now be referred to the children, young people and skills overview and scrutiny committee, although the date of the hearing has not yet been fixed.
Angry parents were outraged on Monday when the executive approved changes to the council’s home-to-school transport policy which would mean hundreds of families – mainly in the Grappenhall and Thelwall area, but also at Winwick, would lose free school buses to either Lymm High School or Culcheth High School.
School bus decision called in
88 Comments
Share.
About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
8 Comments
It isn’t a controversial decision to axe the school buses, it was a crap decision to have them in the first place. If families want the kids to go to school by bus then pay the blasted fare like past generations did. The ‘call in’ is a typical opposition point scoring exercise.
What a farce this is turning into! The “calling in” will do nothing to the original decision since the majority on the “Scrutiny Committee” are Labour Members and they must adhere to their Group policy!!!
Show boating by no mark councillors desperate to win votes!
Eagle
If our glorious local council provide a school within 3 miles (walking time = 1 hour) to Thelwall, Grapenhall with 400 available spaces there then most in Thelwall and Grapenhall will be glad to send them there – feel free to spout your comments then to those who chose otherwise. For your interest I grew up in Longford in the 1970’s passed the 11 plus and was bussed to the then best school in Warrington – Boteler Grammar School by the 79 and no1 bus – on a free bus pass , as did a lot of my friends from the area, as that was considered the most appropriate school for us by the then Labour council – even as it was over 3 miles from the poplars pub(the biggest landmark then in Orford) – so don’t preach to me to me on costs of school bus in the past, because that was considered the most appropriate school for us even though we were scallies from Orford and Longford. PS I obviously wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth – John Street, Lancing Ave , Willis St, Morley St and then Thelwall so please kindly give consideration to your posts when attempting to cast a shadow over the people who live modestly South of the Canal.
Polite response as Longford lad is now considered Gentry for daring to buy a Semi south of the canal – no I am not a drug dealer
Rob
RG, Thanks for the ‘feel free’ but I then lost interest with the ‘for your interest’
Aye and they will get them from those of us who have been stuffed by the Labour Exec Board. You keep voting for the donkey in the red hat. I was born Labour and have been for 50 years but I am not blind to their disparaging treatment of hard working people – the burden of the cuts in being loaded onto small sections of our community when it should be shared by all. But they came for us and they will surely come for you, so I hope you”ve got off road parking!
Don’t have a car sunshine.
I was a labour party member for many years, but I am fed up with them all now. The con/dem old boys club does really worry me, they won’t be happy till they have robbed everyone who isn’t upper class or stinking rich
This scally went to Boteler too Rob… we lived in Bewsey and paid for the bus fares every day for 5 years….. My mum and dad did not have the luxury of living in Thelwall or Grappenhall. They should pay like we had to