Senior councillors asked to approve plans to consult on proposed changes to transport assistance for post-16 learners with SEND

While the council is statutorily obliged to make free of charge home to school travel arrangements for eligible children of compulsory school age, there is no similar statutory obligation on the local authority to provide transport for post-16 learners. However, the council currently provides substantial discretionary assistance for post-16 learners with SEND.

It is this discretionary assistance that is under review, with any proposed changes phased in and applying to new applications for the 2025/26 academic year onwards or where learner circumstances change, such as moving house or a different education setting after that point.

The review aims to promote independence through independent travel training or another travel solution, while at the same time helping to address the significant financial challenge facing the Council.

Discretionary transport assistance currently costs Leeds City Council between £4million and £4.5million each year, with the number of learners receiving transport support doubling since 2015.

At the council’s executive board meeting next Wednesday (19th June), councillors will be asked for approval to consult on proposals for post-16 transport assistance for children and young people with SEND. 

If approval to consult is granted, proposals will be shared as part of a four-week consultation beginning later this month and ending before the school summer break.  The outcome of consultation and recommendations would be presented back to executive board for decision in October 2024 with implementation of any changes from September 2025.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families said: 

“As an authority we remain committed to providing discretionary transport assistance for post-16 learners with special educational needs and disabilities.

“However, the way we currently do this is not sustainable considering the financial challenges faced by the council, and with demand for these services doubling since 2015.

“We remain committed to supporting young people who can travel independently to do so and have increased our Independent Travel Training capacity.  By reviewing the way we provide discretionary assistance, we are able to focus support and available resources to those young people and families most in need. 

“If approval is granted from executive board on the 19th June, we will consult with young people, their families, and partners across the city on a range of proposals to understand the effect these changes would have on them, and on other services such as Adult Social Care transport.”

To read the full executive board report, click here.