School taxi firms 'ripping off' county - councillor

Herefordshire Council now spends £7m a year on taxis, Jonathan Lester said

Taxi firms in Herefordshire have been accused of "ripping off" the council amid growing financial pressure.

Herefordshire councillor Jim Kenyon told a full council meeting he wanted to put taxis on notice because they had been charging "up to four times what you'd pay on the meter" to get children to school.

The work was so profitable for some firms that "they'll do school runs and that's it", meaning that residents "can't get taxis", Kenyon added.

Former taxi firm owner Lyndon Gore said he believed some "unscrupulous" firms "charge what they want for school work", before subcontracting the work out to other drivers at a lower rate.

Hereford Taxi Association representative Graham Wood said: "I appreciate Councillor Kenyon is trying to highlight what he sees as a problem, but he is likely oblivious to our recent work [with the council's review]."

The council now spends an "extremely high" £7m a year on taxis, out of a school transport budget of £13m, the authority's Conservative leader Jonathan Lester confirmed.

"We have a strategy to reduce costs while making sure those vulnerable children get the education they need," Lester added.

"That needs detailed negotiation with individuals, you can't just flick a switch."

Councillor Pete Stoddart, cabinet member for finance and corporate services, added the authority were undertaking a "comprehensive review" of its home-to-school services to ensure they delivered the best outcomes for children.

"As part of this, we are taking immediate and ongoing action to address cost pressures and inefficiencies," he said.

"This includes direct engagement with taxi companies to renegotiate contracts and reduce costs, including minimising single-occupancy journeys."

He added the council was committed to providing home-to-school transport to approximately 3,500 students attending schools, as well as meeting its obligations to provide free transport to about 500 students with special educational needs and disabilities.

Stoddart said Herefordshire was not unique in facing "growing demands and rising costs" for home-to-school transport, but was "acting urgently" over the issue.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.