Rethink urged on faith school transport fees

County councillors were warned that some large families could face a 'crippling' financial blow '“ and that some schools could be hit by falling rolls and redundancies if the scheme was implemented.

Cabinet member Cllr Mark Dunn is proposing to introduce the charges, for new admissions only, from September, 2008, with children from low income families continuing to travel free.

But the children and young people's services select committee voted to refer the issue back to him.

Frank Myers, deputy director of education for the Catholic diocese of Arundel and Brighton, challenged the basis of Cllr Dunn's decision, and claimed that both sides of the case had not been presented.

"We maintain that financial savings have not been properly researched," he declared. Nine out of 10 responses during consultation were against charges, and there had been a lack of consideration of the environmental impact, if more parents took their children to school by car.

Mother of five Kim Walker, of Bognor Regis, a Catholic, who said hers was a low income family but not entitled to free school meals, told the select committee: "You are removing my choice of education for my children, as I don't have the money to pay for them to travel to and from school." A lot of parents were in the same boat.

David Todd, head of St Philip Howard School, Barnham, said Barnham could be brought to a standstill by parents driving their children to school. "The possibility is that we will lose a class a year over a period of time," he said. If this was the case, they would be in a situation of falling rolls and redundancies.

Cllr James Walsh said 12 of the parish councils which replied to consultation favoured the present system, and only four were in favour of the proposed charging regime.

No environmental impact assessment had been carried out, and only 'vague statements' had been made. The decision had been opposed by both the Catholic and Church of England dioceses, and overwhelmingly by those who replied to consultation. "What is consultation, if it is then ignored?" he asked.

Cllr Dunn, himself a communicant member of the C of E and a Christian, said he had searched for fairness, and had to cut the cloth of the county council according to its resources.