FOI Request - School Taxi Spending

Request 101003721068

All of the following questions refer to taxi costs for children in the last financial year 2023/24 under the free school transport scheme. If an answer is not known, please move on to the next question.

1. In the last complete financial year how much did the council spend on providing taxis to bring children to and from school and what was the total number of children?

2. In the last complete financial year, how many children without SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) relied on a taxi provided by the council to bring them to school and what was the total cost for the council?

3. For children without SEND, how many of these children were the sole traveller in the taxi, i.e. it was not shared with another child?

4. For children without SEND what was the most expensive individual contract for a child’s travel and what was the approximate distance in miles of the journey?

5. For children without SEND, what was the shortest journey in miles completed by a taxi to bring a child to school?

Response 14-03-2025

1. Not held. Moray Council does not differentiate school contract awards between bus, minibus, MPV, plated taxi, etc. (it is school transport). In addition, young people travelling to school in smaller vehicles may include both SEND and non SEND pupils in the same vehicle and this can vary day by day. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held

For information, total SEND transport spend for 2023 – 2024 £634K. 74 pupils

2. Not held. Moray Council does not differentiate school contract awards between bus, minibus, MPV, plated taxi, etc. (it is school transport). In addition, young people travelling to school in smaller vehicles may include both SEND and non SEND pupils in same vehicle and this can vary day by day. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held

3. Not held. This information is not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held

4. Not held. This information is not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

For information, the longest single transport journey is a weekend travel arrangement outside of Moray for a SEND pupil, £168.52 per trip, 71 miles single journey. However this is not typical within county or school zone.

5. Not held. This information is not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

For information, Council policy is home to school transport only provided when distance is in excess of 2 miles. Essentially any pupil in excess of 2 miles from school is entitled to home to school transport.