Public Accounts Committee report on home to school transport: CCN responds

Today the Public Accounts Committee have published a new report, with MPs warning that the government's recently-announced special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms leave unanswered questions over home to school transport services.

The County Councils Network released a report last month that showed that councils transported a record number of SEND pupils - over 200,000. The research estimates that local authorities spent £2bn on SEND school transport last year - and this figure is projected to grow to £3.4bn by 2030/31 if nothing changes.

Below, the CCN responds to the committee's report.

Cllr Bill Revans, SEND spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“This Public Accounts Committee report echoes many of the findings of the County Councils Network’s (CCN) recent research on home to school transport, highlighting the spiralling costs of providing transport even as day-to-day SEND costs are to be covered by government from 2028. The CCN’s projections estimate that if nothing changes, councils could be spending £3.4bn on SEND school transport by 2030, £1.4bn more than we estimate they spent last year.

“Fortunately, the government’s SEND reforms have real potential to contain these costs, if implemented in full as outlined last month. A greater emphasis on inclusion in mainstream schools should enable more SEND pupils to be taught at their local school, and changes to the tribunal system could ensure that transport costs are adequately assessed before rulings are made. It is vital that the government implements these changes as quickly as possible so they can begin to make a difference.

“Even if these changes do make a difference, home to school transport is a bigger financial pressure for county and rural unitary councils as pupils are transported over longer distances.Many of these councils will lose several millions over the next three years because of the changes in the Fair Funding Review – and at a time when transport costs are rising. In total, county areas face an £11bn funding black hole, with school transport costs a significant factor. We urge the government to look again at what support it can give to county authorities who face the largest transport bills.”