Labour proposes budget amendment to save families up to 25 percent on bus passes for school children in West Northamptonshire
Pupils in West Northamptonshire could benefit from cheaper bus travel to school, as the Labour group has put concessionary bus passes at the heart of its opposition budget proposals.
Next week, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) will set its final budget for 2026/27 under the leadership of its new Reform UK administration.
The Labour group has tabled an amendment to the budget in the hope of launching a pilot scheme for discounted passes for children getting to school by bus. Under the proposals, the trial programme would run from January 2027 and help families meet the cost of termly bus passes.
Labour group leader, Councillor Sally Keeble, said: “Bringing down the cost of bus travel for school children is a win-win.
“It helps beat one of the cost pressures on family budgets – the cost of a termly travel pass is a big one-off hit for families. It encourages use of public transport and helps reduce traffic congestion.”
The group said that termly bus passes for school students in rural areas are over £400 a term, and more than £200 in urban areas. They say families would be able to save between 20 and 25 percent on bus tickets with the concessionary passes.
Currently, school travel assistance is offered to children who are not within walking distance of their nearest school, in low-income households, and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities.
Cllr Keeble told the LDRS that the scheme had been budgeted to cost £500,000 and would be paid for by WNC being £6.5 million better off, compared to the local government settlement it expected in its draft budget assumptions.
Opposition groups are allowed to propose amendments to the final budget during the full council meeting, however they must be individually voted on by the chamber and receive a majority of councillors in favour to pass.
Cllr John Slope, the cabinet member for finance on WNC, told the LDRS that they had not yet seen the full budget amendments from the Labour group and that they would consider them in the round once all aspects are published.
The administration’s final budget proposals will go to West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet on Monday February 16 for recommendation to full council next Thursday February 26.