Walsall special needs pupil school transport cut fears
Concerns have been raised that plans to cut funds for a vital school transport service for students with special needs in Walsall may be brought back in a future budget after being quashed earlier this year.
Walsall Council's cabinet first discussed changing travel plans for students aged 16 and above who have special education needs and disabilities in October 2018 - in a bid to save £560,000 a year.
But the decision was met with furious backlash from supporters of the service, which is used by 97 people at Mary Elliot School, a place for youngsters with special educational needs.
If the service did close, it would result in some students having to be put into out-of-hours care, and parents having to make a three-hour journey twice a day to drop off their children, it had been said.
The issue was as to whether to cut had been 'paused' or axed completely was brought up at the full council meeting on Thursday evening.
Lib Dem councillor Ian Shires said: "Call me a cynic, but if you look in the wording of the document it says pause. The definition of pause is a temporary stop, so it could form part of a 20/21 budget proposal."
Labour leader councillor Sean Coughlan said parents still have "massive concerns" about the issue.
Conservative councillor Chris Towe said the wording was "unfortunate".
"I visited Mary Elliot School and we know how anxious everyone was, hence the early decision not to take it this year," he added. "Maybe the word pause is unfortunate.
"We do need to look at the transport for post 16 and we need to try and help people become more independent, as independence is important."
Council leader Mike Bird said the word "pause" was used because that is "exactly what it is".
He then brought up a row over a video of the pupils shot by Labour at Mary Elliot School, which he said was a “blatant act of breach of safeguarding”.
He added: "This blatant act of safeguarding will be looked into.
"In all my years in politics I have never seen an act that shows so low morality. I have seeked a public condemnation from Jeremy Corbyn himself."
Chairman of the meeting, Mayor Marco Longhi said he found it "utterly reprehensible" that politics was brought into a subject relating to "extremely vulnerable young people", and said any further deliberation should be about what is best for the children.
