Free children's transport axed in £200,000 cuts

The authority said it is not legally required to provide the service and has launched a consultation to bring in charges.

The council currently pays for 49 children with additional needs to travel to specialist nurseries in the borough.

But leaders claim they have been forced to consider axing the service after funding cutbacks from central Government. They also said that demand for the service will decrease over the coming months and that by September, when the proposed charges could be introduced, only be 11 children would be affected.

Dudley's opposition groups have hit back at the plans, claiming it is 'immoral' to be making cuts to children's services following a controversial senior management restructure.

Councillor Tim Crumpton, who is in charge of children services in Dudley, said: "This is not something we would want to do but unfortunately due to the continued reduction in government funding we are limited to providing services we legally must provide."

He claimed many of the families affected received benefits that can help towards travel costs for their children.

Councillor Crumpton added: "However, we know that for some people this could be difficult and we are working hard behind the scenes at how we deliver the specialist nursery service across the borough to ensure every child who needs it has access to it."

"We have looked at the figures carefully and do not intend to remove a service from people who have become accustomed to receiving it. If the plans went ahead, there would be children who may need some sort of continued support if required."

Sedgley councillor and UKIP West Midlands MEP, Bill Etheridge, said: "I think it is really immoral to even consider this.

"This comes after the council went ahead with pay rises for senior management."

Tory education spokesman, Councillor Les Jones, added: "I have been critical for a number of years of how much the authority spends on transport in children's and adult services. The majority of this cost is through taxis.

"This seems to be a political move to shift blame towards government cuts, rather than any genuine attempt to reduce spending by looking at better ways to deliver transport."

The consultation runs until March 2. Visit www.dudley.gov.uk to take part.