20
May
Green councillor calls on colleagues to be “brave” ahead of school transport vote
A Green Party councillor has called on colleagues to be “brave” ahead of a crunch vote on North Yorkshire Council’s home-to-school transport policy.
Councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, is urging fellow councillors to vote with their conscience at a meeting tomorrow (May 21), which will decide whether the policy change will be abandoned.
The council says the move to only offering children free school transport to their nearest school rather than their catchment school will save up to £4.2 million a year.
Council chiefs also claim the new policy is fairer because under the previous system, some parents could choose from several schools for their child and still benefit from free school transport.
But Cllr Warneken said the policy had left families facing confusion and unfair outcomes.
He said:
It’s become clear that although the council went through the motions of a consultation, they didn’t actually listen. Many of the problems now playing out in real families’ lives were raised in those responses.
We’re seeing chaos and hardship that was entirely predictable — and avoidable.
Cllr Warneken said he planned to present examples at the meeting to show how the policy has disrupted children’s education and imposed unaffordable costs on parents.
He added:
This is not just about transport — it’s about fairness, compassion, and the wellbeing of families across North Yorkshire.
I worry that Conservative councillors will be under pressure to vote along party lines.
But this is a moment for bravery. I’m calling on them to truly represent the people they were elected to serve. They need to change course and bring catchment back.
A vote on the policy will be taken at an extraordinary meeting at County Hall, in Northallerton, on Wednesday.
0