Row over free school transport for some, and not for others

Powys County Council has been accused of double standards after it was revealed that some pupils from the Llanfyllin area are receiving free transport to attend school in Llanfair Caereinion.

Social media chatter shared with MyWelshpool alleged that two children were receiving free transport to Llanfair Caereinion, despite Llanfyllin being their nearest high school.

Council regulations state that children should attend their nearest high school, and if a different school was chosen then parents were responsible for the cost of getting them there, and home afterwards.

But last night, Powys County Council confirmed that there were exceptions after admitting that “some pupils have been awarded free school transport to Bro Caereinion”.

A spokesperson said: “The council's home to school transport policy outlines the criteria and process for the provision of free home to school transport. If transport is refused, parents have a right to appeal and these are considered on a case-by-case basis.”

But parents who pay to send their children to Ysgol Llanfyllin from outside the catchment area are not happy.

“It seems like double standards to me,” said one mother, who asked not to be named. “Especially as Llanfyllin in the past was hugely criticised for providing free transport which was stopped.”

Ysgol Bro Caereinion has been in the headlines recently after Powys County Council voted to turn it into the area’s first full Welsh medium high school for the future.