Post 16 education travel

A pertinent post has been sent us by Julia Cooper following yesterday's story about Post-16 travel for students.

Interestingly this very subject was raised in last Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions:-

Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (LD) asked: "Is the Prime Minister aware that 16 to 18-year-olds in Northumberland who may live 50 miles from a further education college or 20 miles from a high school are facing charges ranging from £600 a year to several thousand pounds a year to get an education, because the Labour-controlled council has reversed the support given by the previous Liberal Democrat administration?

"Will he deplore that decision" continued the question, "and see what central Government can do to promote fair access to education?"

The Prime Minister responded: "My right hon. Friend makes an important point. As he knows, responsibility for transport for education and training rests with local authorities.
Clearly, this local authority, now controlled by Labour, has made this decision.

"Of course we have introduced the £180 million bursary fund to support the most disadvantaged young people," said the Prime Minister, "and perhaps that is something that his council and these families could make the most of. I certainly join him in agreeing that this is another example of the fact that Labour costs us more."

Two points immediately spring to mind:

• Rather alarmingly the distance from Audlem to Nantwich is much less than distance quoted in Sir Alan Beith's question – only 7 miles to his minimum of 20, and....
• rather glaringly, Cheshire East is a Tory run council.

I leave the good people of Audlem to draw their own conclusions.

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