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| Student Travel Vouchers Idea Sparks Row In Leicestershire http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8038 |
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| Author: | Cybro [ Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Student Travel Vouchers Idea Sparks Row In Leicestershire |
23 Feb 2008 Student travel vouchers idea sparks row Taxi and bus vouchers for students could be trialled in Leicestershire, if the ruling Cabinet gives the go-ahead. The proposal comes in the wake of a plan to charge for children to travel to county Catholic schools from September. Parents from Melton sending their children to De Lisle in Loughborough will have to pay £240 per child to catch a bus to school each year. The cost of travel is still subsidised through grants, but opposition councillors have denounced the charges as 'a tax on Catholics'. However, the ruling Conservative group says it has listened. It is estimated that the trial will cost £27,500. If it proves to be a success and is extended county-wide, the total cost would be £195,000 per year. Students in four areas could receive £50 in travel vouchers, valid until the end of the summer holidays under the plans. The trial scheme will be open to students who pay for post-16 educational transport and who live in four areas including Belvoir-Asfordby. Nick Rushton, the Cabinet's member for transport, said: "We're considering this idea to help students in some of our more isolated areas get out and about. "We've listened to what young people want and now we're keen to test whether this kind of scheme can work." If the Cabinet gives the go-ahead on March 3, the trial will take place during the summer term and summer holiday. Eligible students will be notified by post and can apply through the county youth council's "Jitty" website. But Matthew O'Callaghan, Labour leader at County Hall and county councillor for Melton North, said: "We opposed the Conservative proposal to increase travel charges to £180 rising to £240 and now propose to give a £50 voucher back to those who are paying the higher charge. How stupid. "It's like a pickpocket stealing £240 from your wallet and giving you £50 back in vouchers. It proves the original policy wasn't thought through and has led to the increasing isolation of rural young people that we said it would." Source: Melton Today ---------- Disclaimer These press articles are intended for informational purposes only. Statements and opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the original Publisher. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of any of these articles, and therefore I am not liable for any information contained therein. Where possible, the Publisher and the source are documented within each article. Any author that holds legal copyright, and objects to their material being posted, may request that it be removed and any future material excluded. |
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| Author: | grandad [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:01 am ] |
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How is this costing money? They are taking away the free buses and charging £240 per year but then giving back £50. So unless my maths has gone astay the scheme will be netting the council £190 per pupil. Mind you the schools in Melton are just changing from 11-14 age group to 11-16 age group so with all the new investment including re building at least one of the schools, they probably want to "encourage" more of the catholic children to stay at the schools in Melton instead of travelling to Loughborough. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:31 pm ] |
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grandad wrote: Mind you the schools in Melton are just changing from 11-14 age group to 11-16 age group
Well what happens to the kids when they became 15, do they disappear?
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| Author: | grandad [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:53 pm ] |
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There are some strange ways in Melton Mowbray and some other parts of Leicestershire. We have what are termed High Schools which cater for the 11-14 age range, except one which is 10-14. At the age of 14 the kids transfer to Upper schools for their last 2 years before the GCSE exams and for A levels. |
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