Yet more Labour price hikes
Our Labour County are now saying that they have sorted out there financial problems and all is well with the top Staffordshire Authority.
Well, is it any surprise when you are in the privileged position of simply being able to dig deeper into tax payers’ pockets when you 
need more money. And that is what is currently happening in the shape of social care for the elderly and vulnerable adults and, more particularly in relation to my constituents, school transport costs.
Actually it affects families right across Staffordshire. Last year the cost of a school bus seat for those who don’t qualify for free travel was £190. This year it rose to an eye watering £300 and from this September it will rise to a staggering £390. That’s an 82% increase for people who have got limited choices to either pay it, drive the kids to school if they have a car or make them walk down roads which quite often are not safe and, in some cases, are positively dangerous.
And that’s the case in Whittington near Lichfield. A lot of families who currently pay to send the kids on the school bus either can’t or, understandably, won’t pay the new cost that the County are planning to extort in September. The alternative is a long walk through narrow secluded lanes. I spoke recently to a couple of families who will soon be asked to pay £1200 a year… as if things weren’t tough enough at present.
This is one of those times where I thought publicity would be important to at least highlight the problem and put some pressure on decision makers in Stafford. The publicity worked with a slot on the regional BBC TV news and plenty in the written media. I’ve written arguing the case to the Labour Administration but will it have any effect? Probably not but I’ll have a go.
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The school bus charges from Whittington to King Edwards school were introduced in the early 90’s, despite when SCC closed the secondary school (now the youth centre) in the 60’s, a promise was made that charges for transport would never be made (Arnold Ward was very supportive of the residents when the charges were introduced, but to no avail).
The crazy thing about these charges is that they only apply to people living in the first part of the village, which includes most of the social housing, ie families on lower incomes. I understand how the ‘3 mile’ rule applies, but as you point out, walking to school is NOT an option, and the children all catch the bus from the same point.
I live on Main Street, so was fortunate not to have to pay until our daughters went into the sixth form, which was expensive enough. I feel very sorry for those families facing these high charges. It would be easier if you could pay on a monthly basis maybe?
Jenny Golding
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