Kent County Council has approved a package of changes to its home-to-school transport arrangements, following a cabinet meeting at County Hall in Maidstone. Members backed the proposals as part of efforts to close a widening gap in the authority's budget for the coming financial year.
The decision affects how the council provides travel support for some pupils, including those attending schools outside their immediate area. Officers had warned that transport costs had risen sharply, driven largely by demand for specialist provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
What the cabinet agreed
Under the plans, the council will review eligibility criteria and encourage greater use of shared and sustainable travel where suitable. A phased rollout is expected, with the first changes taking effect from the start of the next academic year.
The key measures include:
- a tightening of discretionary awards beyond the statutory minimum;
- expanded use of personal travel budgets for eligible families;
- a review of routes to improve efficiency and cut empty mileage.
Officers stressed that statutory entitlements — the legal minimum the authority must provide — would be protected, and that no child currently eligible under national rules would lose their guaranteed place.
Concerns from parents and campaigners
The proposals have drawn criticism from some parents and local campaign groups, who fear the changes could add pressure on families already navigating a stretched system. One Maidstone parent, who asked to be identified only as Sarah, said the uncertainty had been unsettling for households relying on the current arrangements.
"We understand the council is under real financial strain, but families need clarity that vulnerable children will not be left without a way to get to school," one opposition councillor told the meeting.
Cabinet members said a consultation would accompany the rollout, with feedback from parents, schools and transport providers helping to shape the final detail.
Budget pressures behind the move
The changes come as councils across England grapple with rising demand for social care and SEND services against tightly constrained funding. Kent County Council, one of the largest local authorities in the country, has described school transport as one of the fastest-growing pressures on its budget. It said further details of the consultation timetable would be published in the coming weeks, with an implementation report due back to cabinet later in the year.
