We have been contacted by a number of families who still have a lot of concerns about the proposals in the Home to School Transport Policy change for 2024 and want to know what happens next.

The results of the consultation along with our report will be discussed at the Children's Services Overview & Scrutiny Extraordinary Committee meeting next week, Tuesday 15th August. You can read the results of the consultation survey, our report and the proposed amendments to the policy for 2024 here: CSO&S Meeting 15th August 2023. The meeting will also be shown live on YouTube.

The final decision about the proposed changes, which includes changes to home to school transports for U5 and post 16 SEND pupils, will be made at an Extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee on Thursday 24th August. Details of this meeting will be published a week before here: Executive Committee Meeting Thursday 24th August

Residents are allowed to ask one question relating to this agenda item at WBC Committee Meetings. More details on how to ask a question can be found here: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/council-and-meetings/meetings/ask-question-meeting, including an online submission form (button at the bottom of the page). As well as submitting one question, you are also able to attend in person on the night. The agenda, papers and link to live screening will be available a week before the meeting here: Executive Committee Meeting Thursday 24th August

You can also submit a question by emailing: democratic.services@wokingham.gov.uk

Any questions relating to the meeting agenda items must be submitted by 10am two working days before the meeting so any questions about the proposed changes to the Home to School Policy 2024 would need to be submitted by 10am on Monday 21st August.

Do you still have concerns?

We have been contacted by a number of families who have concerns about the consultation process and the proposed changes for the Home to School Policy. If you are concerned you can contact us, your local Councillor or relevant officer.

We have also been asked about how to make a complaint about the process. The issues families have raised are:

• Not knowing the consultation was happening (no information sent via school etc)
• Not being able to submit your survey responses – there were technical issues and some parents have reported getting an error message “ww.wokingham.gov.uk refused to connect."
• Not having the option to discuss proposed changes via focus groups

The only way that issues/complaints will be formally logged is by making a formal complaint. If you email WBC Officers directly your complaint may not be logged. Ofsted also review formal complaints made to a Local Authority when carrying out any of their inspections. All complaints are logged and then passed to the necessary Officer with WBC, and timeframes for responses also apply.

How to make a Formal Complaint:

The link on the Wokingham Borough Council website to make a formal complaint is: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/children-and-families/child-protection-and-family-support-7

Under the “making a Complaint" heading there is a link to the online complaints form

Complaints can also be made in writing:
Write to: Children Services Complaints, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1EH

Or hand your letter of complaint to a member of staff at Wokingham Borough Council, clearly addressed to Children Services Complaints, Wokingham Borough Council.