Outcome of the Statutory Consultation on the proposal to increase the qualification of entitlement to free secondary school mainstream transport to pupils residing more than 3 miles from their school July 2015 This report has been issued by South Lanarkshire Council in response to the consultation undertaken in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. This report includes recommendations of the outcome of the consultation which will be presented to the Executive Committee of South Lanarkshire Council. If you need this information in another language or format, please contact us to discuss how we can best meet your needs. Phone: 01698 454545 Email: [email protected] Contents 1. Purpose of the report 2. Recommendations 3. Background on the consultation process 4. Summary of written responses and Council response 5. Summary of oral responses and Council response 6. Notification of an inaccuracy/omission 7. Summary of issues raised by Education Scotland (formerly HMIe) and Education Resources response 8. Review of proposals by South Lanarkshire Council 9. Resource, risk and policy implications Appendices 1. List of consultees 2. Consultee response form 3. Comments made and Council responses made to the main areas of concern expressed 4. Note of oral questions from the public meetings and Council responses made 5. Council response to notification of omission from consultation proposal 6. Report from Education Scotland 1. Purpose of the report 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise all stakeholders on the outcome of the statutory consultation exercise undertaken in respect of the proposal to increase the qualification of entitlement to free secondary school mainstream transport to pupils residing more than 3 miles from their school. This includes a report from Education Scotland on the educational aspects of the proposal and Education Resources’ responses to questions and issues raised during the consultation period. The proposal was to introduce this change effective from 29 September 2015. 2. Recommendations 2.1 This consultation report will be considered by the Council’s Executive Committee on Wednesday 26th August 2015. 2.2 It is recommended that the Executive Committee: • Approve the proposal to increase the qualification of entitlement to free secondary mainstream school transport to pupils residing more than 3 miles from their school, • Approve the points as contained within paragraph 8.6 which show the Council’s commitment to help minimise the potential adverse effects arising as a result of implementing the proposal, and • Review the proposed implementation date of 29th September 2015, as suggested by Education Scotland, in order to allow parents sufficient time to make arrangements. 3. Background on the consultation process 3.1 A consultation proposal document was issued as a result of a decision by the Executive Committee of South Lanarkshire Council on 19 February 2015 to consult on the proposal below: • increase the qualification of entitlement to free secondary school mainstream transport to pupils residing more than 3 miles from their school. 3.2 A consultation notice was placed in the Lanark Gazette, Hamilton Advertiser, East Kilbride News and Rutherglen Reformer. Each notice included a summary of the proposal, information on accessing the proposal document, how written representations could be made, the timeline for receiving such representations and also details of the public meetings. 3.3 A copy of the proposal document was made available on 16th March 2015 to statutory and other consultees as listed in Appendix 1. Notice of the proposal and of publication of the proposal document was placed within local newspapers to engage with the general community. In addition further communications were made with all of the statutory consultees, including relevant parents, pupils and parent councils. 3.4 The document was available from a variety of sources:- the Council website, for inspection within primary and secondary schools, South Lanarkshire libraries, South Lanarkshire Q & A offices, some South Lanarkshire Leisure Centres and Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton. 3.5 The consultation, in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 was carried out over the period 16th March 2015 to 13th May 2015 during which time all interested parties were invited to submit written representations. A copy of the response form is attached at Appendix 2 and the Council’s response to the main themes arising, including from the additional comments made within the responses, is provided in Appendix 3. 3.6 As part of the consultation process there were also 4 public meetings held on Tuesday 21st April 2015 at Lanark Grammar School, Wednesday 22nd April 2015 at Holy Cross High School, Tuesday 28th April 2015 at St Andrews and St Brides High School and Wednesday 29th April 2015 at Cathkin High School. A summary of the oral representations made at each meeting, and the Council’s response, is included in Appendix 4 in this report. 3.7 South Lanarkshire Council sent a copy of the proposal document to Education Scotland (formerly HMIe) on 16th March 2015. As required, on 20th May 2015, Education Scotland was also provided with a summary of all relevant written responses and oral representations made during the consultation period. 3.8 South Lanarkshire Council received a copy of Education Scotland’s report on 19th June 2015. A summary of this report and Education Resources’ response to the key points are included in Section 7 of this consultation report and a copy of the whole report is included in Appendix 6. 3.9 Following the consultation period it is the Council’s duty to review the proposal taking account of relevant written representations received during the consultation period, oral representations made during the public meetings and Education Scotland’s report. This consultation report is the published result of that review and includes a recommendation on the proposal for consideration by the Council as highlighted in a paragraph 2.2 of this report. 3.10 It should be noted that this consultation report is published at least 3 weeks before it is formally considered by the Council, which will be at the Council’s Executive Committee on Wednesday 26th August 2015. 4. Summary of written responses and Council response 4.1 The total combined number of written responses on the official response form and electronic responses via the on line survey received was 1,804, and below is summarised information on the questions posed. (Please note that due to roundings some of the percentage splits do not total to exactly 100%). 4.2 Q1: Do you agree with the proposal set out? 110 (6.1%) Yes 1,668 (92.5%) No 26 (1.4%) Undecided The response to this question shows that a large majority of respondents did not agree with the proposal. During the analysis of the reasons why respondents disagreed, it became apparent that although some people had ticked the ‘yes’ box, some of the comments made thereafter indicated that they in fact did not agree with the proposal and appeared to have ticked the wrong box. Where it appeared appropriate to amend this, the response rates were revised as shown below: 82 (4.5%) Yes 1,696 (94.0%) No 26 (1.4%) Undecided 4.3 Q2: Please provide your details: This was a request for name and address. 4.4 Q3: Please state which secondary school your response relates to: 22 Biggar High School 52 Lanark Grammar 61 Calderglen High 45 Larkhall Academy 430 Calderside Academy 184 Lesmahagow High 49 Carluke High 57 St Andrews and St Brides High 309 Cathkin High 50 Stonelaw High 54 Duncanrig Secondary 37 Strathaven Academy 19 Hamilton Grammar 173 Trinity High 122 Holy Cross High 40 Uddingston Grammar 98 St John Ogilvie High The above provides some further detail on the level of responses received across each of the affected secondary schools. Some responses did not include the name of the secondary school. The schools with the highest volume of returners were Calderside Academy, Cathkin High School, Lesmahagow High School, Trinity High School and Holy Cross High School. 4.5 Q4: If you do not agree with the proposal or are undecided can you say what concern(s) you have (select all that apply): 343 Childcare arrangements 1,410 Concern over the availability of safe walking routes for my child/me 1,097 Lack of alternative transport modes for my child/me 458 Impact on the local communities around the School 204 Other reason Of the 1,804 responses received, there were 3,512 recorded areas of concern as many respondents ticked more than one box. There was also the opportunity to expand beyond the tick box headings and add specific comments within question 5 (See 4.6 below). The main comments which came through as ‘other reason’ included the length of time to walk in all weathers, the effect on learning, the financial cost to parents and the perceived guarantee of transport after school mergers. 4.6 Q5: Please provide any comments you have on the proposal: After analysing the additional detailed comments made by respondents, Appendix 3 provides summary information on the main themes arising. Also included within Appendix 3 are the Council’s responses. 4.7 Q6: I am responding in my capacity as [please indicate by selecting the appropriate answer(s)]: 967 Parent or carer of child at Secondary School 140 Pupil of a Secondary School 450 Parent or carer of child in Primary 6 or 7 36 Parent Council of Secondary School 130 Parent Council of Primary School 20 Church representative 4 Trade Union 1 Elected Representative 25 Member of staff at Secondary School 397 Member of the public / community 147 Other group The above information shows the breakdown of types of respondents. The total of 2,317 exceeds the total number of responses received of 1,804 due to some respondents selecting more than one box.