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Response by the Cabinet Member. Thank you for your question and apologies for taking longer than I would like to respond. The operation of home to school transport is not the Portfolio Holder’s responsibility although all services are accountable to the Cabinet and Portfolio Holders. We have a separation between the role of Members and officers and operational responsibility is with our officers. My responsibility is the setting and agreeing of the home to school transport policy. As you will be aware, the current policy was set by the previous administration, but due to several concerns raised by other local Members on the policy, I have asked officers to review it. This is ongoing and subject to several different issues which we are working through right now. To note, none of the learners are being transported outside of the policy in terms of the method of transport they are being provided with. Anecdotally, when asked, the learners on the bus were all relatively happy with how they get taken home. To answer your questions specifically: 1. As Portfolio Holders, we are responsible for setting policy and the strategic direction for the Council. On that basis, I do not have operational responsibility for the management of home to school transport – operational matters (not what service) always remains with officers. 2. I am more than happy to convene a geographically and politically balanced cross-party working group to consider alternative solutions including the provision of an internal Council run service.
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