Priti Patel has asked Essex County Council for school transport spending and three-year forecasts. Families have raised costs, delays and service problems.

Witham MP Priti Patel has asked Essex County Council to set out what it spends on school transport and what it expects to spend over the next three years. Her office said she acted after local families raised concerns about rising costs, processing delays and problems with services.

The council runs home to school transport for the county, including Chelmsford. Ms Patel’s constituency is Witham, but her office said decisions on the issue could affect parents and pupils across Essex.

What she has asked for

Ms Patel wrote to Nicole Wood, the council’s chief executive, asking for more detail on its review of school transport. Her office said the letter followed a motion at the full council meeting on 13 October about pursuing options for more affordable home-to-school transport.

She has asked for:

  • a breakdown of school transport spending for this financial year
  • forecasts for the next three years
  • spending on free home-to-school transport and on bus subsidies
  • support for pupils who qualify on distance or income grounds
  • the number of pupils receiving support
  • the effect of existing policies to reduce fares

She also asked for separate figures on children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): what is spent now, how many pupils receive support, and the projected costs in the years ahead.

What the MP said

Ms Patel has also met the council to discuss the issue. Her office said she stressed that all available options should be properly explored before any decisions are taken that could affect parents and pupils.

She said:

“Families have raised genuine concerns with me about the local provision of school transport, including rising costs, delays in processing and issues with services. Residents deserve clear answers on what is being done to address these concerns.

“It is vital that Essex County Council complete a thorough, transparent, and well-informed review of existing home-to-school transport costs, and explore options that have a tangible, positive effect on the families who rely on these services.

“More must be done to support local residents on this issue, and I will continue to engage with the Council to press for clarity on their plans, and that concerns raised by families are properly heard and addressed.”

Her office’s statement did not include the council’s reply or any of the figures she has asked for. It also did not say what changes the review might bring or when it will finish.

What it means for you

Ms Patel’s statement announces no change to school transport.

The council’s school transport page explains who qualifies. It says free transport for eligible children could be a contract bus, a ticket for a public bus or train, or a fuel allowance of 45p per mile. For questions about your child’s nearest school, the council’s Education Awards Team is at educationawards@essex.gov.uk.