Fuel price rises, staff shortages and growing demand for home to school transport have sent spending on the service £411,000 over budget, according to a new report.
From September last year to April this year fuel pump prices have risen 20 per cent, according to the report, and routes are 46 per cent more expensive to operate.
The council made a one-off fuel payment of £26,194 in May, shared between the nine operators, because of unstable and rising fuel prices.
But providers have also found it hard to recruit drivers and pupil escorts, known as vehicle passenger assistants (VPAs). And some have reported a shortage of vehicles.
Three operators pulled out of the service, having asked for extra cash and been turned down by Brighton and Hove City Council. The operators stopped providing 15 routes for 54 children but these routes were re-tendered in time for the start of the autumn term so children were unaffected.
Fewer operators are bidding for the routes that do come up for tender – and their bids are more expensive.
The report to councillors said: “Operators requested financial uplifts where there were no material changes to the routes, eg, change in mileage or passenger numbers.
“The service had to re-tender these routes at short notice to ensure the impacted children had travel to school for the start of term. This cost an unbudgeted strain of £123,776 to the service budget.
“At the time of writing, there has been an 8.5 per cent increase (47 pupils) in demand for hired transport since this time last year.
“There are currently 120 children traveling outside of Brighton and Hove to their education setting, a 13 per cent increase on this time last year.”
The report, to the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, also said: “The service is currently supporting 560 children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to travel to and from their educational setting on 207 journeys.
“We also support and additional 600 pupils by providing a free bus pass and 48 families by providing a mileage allowance.”
The report added: “Budget pressures rise each year with increases in the number of children and young people on ‘education and health care plans’ (EHCPs) and becoming eligible for transport. This is the case nationally as well as in the city.
“The number of EHCPs in Brighton and Hove is currently at 2,146. This is an increase of 293 in the past two years and double the amount since 2016.”
The council is required by law to provide home to school transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities and set a budget of £3.9 million for the 2022-23 financial year.
