Clause 1 - School travel schemes
School Transport Bill
Mr Frank Cook (Stockton North, Labour)
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments:
No. 56, in
clause 1, page 1, line 15, at end insert—
'1A In making a school travel scheme, a local authority must demonstrate that it has engaged in reasonable consultation about the proposed scheme with parents of children for whom transport to and from school is currently provided by that local authority.'.
No. 30, in
clause 1, page 1, line 16, at end insert—
'2 Prior to making a scheme, the scheme authority will consult with interested parties including, but not limited to—
(a) the Schools Forum,
(b) representatives of denominational schools whose pupils might be affected by the scheme,
(c) teachers' organisations,
(d) representatives of special schools whose pupils might be affected by the scheme,
(e) parent governors of schools whose children will be affected,
(f) further education colleges,
(g) parents whose children are already in receipt of transport provided by the scheme authority,
(h) bus operators, and
(i) other organisations with an interest in the education of children in the scheme area.
3 (1) The scheme authority will publish the details of the proposed scheme and seek comments from interested parties, who will have 28 days from the date of publication of the scheme to comment.
(2) The scheme authority will submit to the appropriate national body a summary of the responses to the consultation together with the scheme authority's own response to the consultation.'.
No. 24, in
clause 1, page 2, line 5, at end insert
'and shall set out their reasons for introducing such a scheme.'.
No. 59, in
clause 1, page 3, line 17, at end insert—
'(3) The appropriate national authority shall not approve a school travel scheme unless the local authority proposing the scheme can demonstrate a reasonable level of support for the scheme from parents of children for whom transport to and from school is currently provided by that local authority.'.