This in from campaigners against end to discretionary concessionary bus travel to faith schools. Ed
Campaigners against discriminatory Council proposals to end free school travel for pupils attending faith schools on the Isle of Wight have begun to distribute up to 10,000 leaflets through churches and faith schools on the Island.
The leaflets (copy attached) argue that the withdrawal of free travel would be a major blow to many families who may simply be unable to afford the costs of bus fares for several children. If the move leads to falling pupil numbers in faith schools, this will jeopardise their future sustainability and some may close, they argue.
“Council failed to undertake proper Economic Impact Assessment”
Speaking today, Chris Whitehouse says: “The Isle of Wight Council has failed to undertake a proper Economic Impact Assessment which should have come before it brought forward such far-reaching proposals that risk destabilising many aspects of the network of faith education on the Island.
“The Council also failed to undertake assessments of the impact upon the Council’s own policies on sustainable transport, on road safety, and on the environment. In 30 years of working in politics this is the worst run consultation exercise I have seen. It is fundamentally flawed, its impact has not been properly assessed and the response questionnaire is blatantly rigged since it gives 3 options for supporting the proposal and no option for opposing it. The whole thing should be abandoned.”
“We are giving out the leaflets, which we were requested to produce by Island clergy, to warn the Christian community on the Island of the possible impact of the proposals and to encourage parents and members of our worshipping communities to record their opposition to the Council’s divisive and discriminatory plans.”
