School bus legal fighting fund hits £5,000 mark

OXFORD, U.K. - July 15, 2013 - PRLog -- In the past seven days over £5,000 has been pledged towards a legal fighting fund established by the Oxon School Bus Action Group. The group, which has in three weeks grown to over 1,000 members, plans to launch a legal challenge should the Council’s flawed, discriminatory and rushed school bus proposals not be rejected.

Head teachers, governors and parents have been asking the Council to withdraw the proposals, which will have a huge impact on rural schools and communities.  Numerous primary schools will see their admissions fall and for secondary schools such as Burford School, The Warriner, Icknield School, Marlborough School, Wheatley Park School and Matthew Arnold School the forecast is that up to half of their incoming students may be affected.

The proposals, which ride roughshod over the established principle of catchment areas for schools, have already been described by Cllr Melinda Tilley, the cabinet member responsible for them, as "wrong" and written in "gobbledygook".  

While many councillors from across the political spectrum have said they are dead set against the proposals, the cabinet has stated that they will not bow to pressure and withdraw them ahead of Tuesday's crucial meeting.  This is in spite of dire warnings from the council directorate responsible that, if passed, there is a real risk of the decision being called in by the Secretary of State or being subject to a Judicial Review.

Andrew Baud, a governor at Sibford Gower Endowed Primary and spokesperson for the campaign group, said: "Blinkered by the need to make savings, the council is pushing on with proposals that have no fans, including within the council itself. Councillors and officers, including the education boss herself, have undermined the consultation process. They have given misleading information about the number of children affected - from 300, to 400 and they are now implying it’s more than that.

"Fearing a legal review, they have already twice extended the deadline for responses. Yet having taken advice and, armed with evidence including internal council documents, freedom of information requests, press clippings and email correspondence, much of which is conflicting, the campaign group consider that we have a robust case.

"We will also review whether to make formal complaints about several individuals connected with the proposals, should we be able to prove that they have not followed proper procedures or if they have put misleading information into the public domain.

"To the casual observer, this might look like middle class parents refusing to take their share of inevitable cuts to county services.  The truth is that we believe their suggestions will increase costs in the short term and that they discriminate against rural communities. We're genuinely angered by the council's underhand approach and their lack of honest consultation."

The Cabinet are due to meet and consider the proposals at 2pm on Tuesday. Anyone wishing to pledge money to fund the legal challenge, should the proposals be passed, is invited to email sbag600@btinternet.com or to send a message through the Oxon School Bus Action Group on Facebook.