Leicestershire school bus subsidy cut deferred by county council

Plans to cut a school transport budget have been deferred by Leicestershire County Council after opposition from residents and councillors.

Some pupils faced transport fees of £400 a year under the proposals from the Conservative-controlled council.

It has agreed to defer the cuts and take another look at the proposals.

Conservative councillor Lesley Pendleton said the main aim was to cut council expenditures, but added the proposals would now be reconsidered.

'Tune changed'

Councillor Pendleton, said: "We felt it was a little too soon to make an immediate decision so we are going to have another look to make sure everything is as it should be."

She added the council would look to see "whether there is actually some money we can claw out from somewhere" to pay for the transport costs.

"I have changed my tune a little but then that is democracy isn't it. You have to listen to everybody," she added.

Liberal Democrat opposition leader Simon Galton said: "I am delighted that the Tories listened to us. What they had proposed had no public support and it was clear that this was a cut too far."

The authority had proposed to cut £1.3m a year by making changes to the way home-to-school transport and some concessionary travel was funded.

Proposals included withdrawing bus subsidies for pupils of faith or voluntary-aided schools and over-16s.

The Conservative-run authority is aiming to save £74m over four years.