Children as young as eight walking up to five miles? Warwickshire County Council leader faces backlash on extending limit on pupils walking to school

Earlier this week, Cllr George Finch (Reform) shared a letter on social media that he had written to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson.

The letter

The letter asked for permission to increase the current statutory limit before pupils are eligible for support due to the council currently reviewing its home to school transport policy.

In the letter, Cllr Finch said the council currently helps more than 10,000 children get to school every day and that the budget for this has increased "from £17.9 million in 2018/19 to over £50 million this financial year”.

He wrote: “Despite the various steps we are proactively taking to seek to improve efficiencies and minimise costs for the delivery of these services, we anticipate that these costs will rise to around £80 million over the next five years.

"Such cost increases inevitably put pressure on the council's budget, with potential impacts on the wider delivery of services undertaken by the authority."

Currently in Warwickshire, pupils aged eight and above are eligible for the free travel if they have to walk more than three miles to get to school.

This also applies to children under eight years old for two miles.

In the letter, Cllr Finch claimed that by increasing the distance by one mile it could reduce the number of eligible pupils by eight per cent and that if it was increased by two miles it would reduce it by 16 per cent.

“Clearly, the local authority would assess the potential impacts of such a change and undertake all necessary public consultations before making any change” wrote Cllr Finch.

"However, I currently feel that our hands are tied and we need greater local flexibility to ensure an effective, but efficient, home to school service.”

Secretary of State for Education response

Speaking to the BBC, the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, compared Cllr Finch’s proposals to taking “taking children back to the Victorian era”.

Local backlash

Since the letter went public, the proposals have been met with backlash – not just from the opposition parties but from residents in the county too.

Many residents took to social media to raise concerns about their children potentially having to walk up to 10 miles a day from the age of eight.

MPs and councillors have also voiced their opposition. Matt Western, the MP for Leamington and Warwick, is one of them.

Mr Western said: “Pretty appalled by this latest policy suggestion from the Reform-led Warwickshire County Council.

“The leader of the council has written to the Education Secretary to ask for powers to increase the distance children can be expected to walk to school...to five miles for those over the age of eight!

“Unbelievable! Not sure if he’s a parent but suggesting your eight year old walks five miles unaccompanied is irresponsible, dangerous, neglectful...and downright bonkers.

“So, children would be expected to walk up to one and a half hours to and from school every day.

"Sure, fresh air is good for children (and all for us) but come on, three hours of walking just to get to school and then back home is ridiculous.

“As an example, it’s five miles to walk from Leamington Town Hall or Shire Hall in Warwick to Abbey Fields in Kenilworth and would take almost two hours. And the paths are dangerous, and they say they’re cutting cycling investment.

“The Education Secretary is right; it’s a Victorian era policy that should be firmly rejected in Warwickshire.

“I’ll be writing to the Secretary of State to express my firm disagreement with this policy and any introduction of it in Warwickshire.

“It’s important that the leader of the council understands residents' views on this policy and I would urge you to email him to share your views and how this may impact your family.”

Manuela Perteghella, the Liberal Democrat MP for Stratford, also hit back, warning that the move would “punish families” and “put children’s safety at risk.”

She said: “Reform’s new school travel approach is cruel, short-sighted and completely out of touch with the realities facing families in Warwickshire.

"No child should have to trek in the rain for five miles just to get to school.

“Reform wants to turn the clock back by decades, whilst parents are already struggling with rising costs and patchy public transport.

"The answer isn’t to make children walk further in the rain next to busy roads, it’s to properly fund councils so they can deliver safe, reliable school transport.

“The Liberal Democrats want every child to have a fair, safe journey to school, without needless hardship and challenges just to get an education.”

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, the Liberal Democrat group leader on Warwickshire County Council added: “The Reform administration at Warwickshire County Council led by Cllr Finch need to reconsider this proposal.

“Reform are prioritising money over child safety. This initiative will create anxiety for parents, particularly those who work, care, or who do not have alternative transport.

“Liberal Democrat councillors on Warwickshire County Council will be challenging this proposal and urge residents to rise up and respond to the consultation so a clear message is sent back.”