Latest news with #HarryRayner
BBC News
02-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kent County Council: School bus pass costs go up by up to 12.5%
The cost of school bus passes is to rise in Kent with low income families hit by a hike of more than 12%.A subsidised ticket will go from £120 to £135 (up 12.5%) in 2025-26, while the full rate jumps by 5.5% from £550 to £580, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Kent Travel Saver (KTS), which is run by Kent County Council (KCC), has seen the full price rise from £450 to £580 in three new prices have been criticised by parents and opposition councillors, but the ruling Conservatives said the increases have been kept lower by funding from the government's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). Environment and transport cabinet committee member, councillor Harry Rayner told a meeting on 25 February he estimated the full cost of a KTS pass on some routes could range from £1,200 to £1,600 without the council's said: "For some students not using a KTS, a return would cost £6 per day, compared to £3.05 if a KTS is used."But Green Party committee colleague Mark Hood said: "What worries me is that when (BSIP) doesn't happen… the cost is going to be astronomical." Karen Settle, 40, of Wateringbury, will have two children at school in Tonbridge in Settle's annual KTS cost will more than double with the increases, to £1,160."That's a lot amount of money for any family," she added: "I want the girls to get the bus – it's part of growing up and building independence. Now I am looking at £100 a month for them to get to committee voted through the increases by five votes to one.
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kent: Fewer parents winning appeals to get school taxi transport
The number of parents winning appeals to get home-to-school taxi transport for their children in Kent has halved in the last year, it has been County Council (KCC) figures show that fewer than a third of cases – 40 of the 137 appeals – were successful at tribunal last year, compared to 56% in authority's bill for losing appeals has also shrunk in the last year from nearly £400,000 to just fewer than £60, cabinet member for finance, Harry Rayner, said the cost for pupil taxis rose sharply in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The cost of ferrying pupils to classes has spiralled in recent years, often linked to children awarded Education and Health Care Plans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting late 2023, it was revealed transport for children with special education needs (SEN) would cost the tax-payer £60m in the financial than 6,000 pupils were getting free taxis to classes in Kent and the bill was set to rise. As a result, the council announced its intention to reduce the can be made for reasons including financial hardship, medical needs and the child's appeals last year will cost Kent tax-payers £58,078, or £1,450 per discussed at a KCC regulation committee on Tuesday, councillor Ian Chittenden expressed concerns that the price was becoming a driving factor in the drop in costs."I hate to think that we are being influenced by anything other than the evidence," he councillor Susan Carey added that it was "quite legitimate that cost is one of the elements".Mr Rayner said that the latest bill was at the £70m mark – fewer than the feared £80m it was expected to rise to.
