Still Time to Have Your Say – Hampshire County Council’s Future Services Consultation
There is still time to provide feedback in the County Council’s public consultation on options to change and reduce some local services as part of steps to help the Authority address a remaining budget shortfall of at least £97.6 million for 2025/26.
The Future Services Consultation – Spring 2025 closes on 7 May 2025, and signals the next stage in the County Council’s plans to ensure it can focus support to the most vulnerable people while meeting its legal duty to deliver a balanced budget.
Four savings options are being proposed. Those of particular interest to school communities will be:
Post-16 Transport only:
- To focus the Council’s resources on those most in need, by amending the eligibility criteria for Post-16 transport assistance so that the County Council would only assist with travel for Post-16 students with special educational needs or a disability, and who are from a low-income family.
- To make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term by requiring all families of students who receive County Council-provided Post-16 transport assistance to contribute to the costs of transport for their child.
- To support SEND students to develop their independent travel skills by introducing mandatory Independent Travel Training (ITT) for some Post-16 students.
- To make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term by requiring parents/carers/responsible adults to act as a Passenger Assistant where it is reasonable for them to do so.
Both School Transport and Post-16 Transport:
- To reduce the number of unused seats by utilising bus pass usage data.
- To increase flexibility to meet short-term variations in demand by using the full licensed capacity of buses.
- To make discretionary transport more viable by asking parents to increase their financial contribution towards the cost of the transport.
- To promote the most independent forms of transport assistance by prioritising a Public Transport Season Ticket or Personal Transport Budget over contracted transport, where this is appropriate and more cost-effective.
In addition, there are also proposals relating to:
- Planned Highway Maintenance
- Older Adults Day Services
How to have your say
Views can be provided on some or all of the four service change proposals presented in the consultation.
Detailed information on the proposals and how to take part in the consultation, can be found on the consultation webpage: www.hants.gov.uk/future-services-consultation
Your views count: Your views are really important - so please take the time to respond to the consultation online, and encourage others to do the same.
