Village News

People Power prevailed in Holme on Spalding Moor this week when the future of the school bus from the village to Pocklington’s Woldgate College was resolved, after a lot of hard work by a group of parents.
The main issue was that Holme on Spalding Moor was outside the school catchment area for Wolgate College, but over 60 pupils from the village had chosen to attend the college.
The pupils have been able to use the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) funded bus service this past year, with parents paying a supplement £180 for the year. At the beginning of the present school year the Council gave notice that due to policies extending across the whole of the East Riding the subsidy paid by the Council for the bus could not be continued after the end of the year. This would have meant a rise to at least £570 per pupil if the college had passed on the £35,000 annual cost to charter a bus to replace the service.

After a lots of hard work from Gary Brothers and Claire Shelton the issue has now been resolved.

Copy of email received from Woldgate Weds 30th June..

HOSM/BUBWITH TO WOLDGATE COLLEGE BUS SERVICE - SEPTEMBER 2010
Background
In reaching an acceptable solution to the provision of a bus service for out-of-catchment students who will attend Woldgate in September 2010, the ERYC has been keen to ensure that there is no divergence from their School Transport Policy that could be perceived as setting a precedent that others might follow. It has also been necessary for the service to remain cost-effective and for this reason the college will provide an annual subsidy, which will be reviewed each June/July.
The Proposal
This proposal is made by the Director of Children's Services to the parents affected by the HOSM/Bubwith bus service. The arrangement will be renewable on an annual basis due to the need for the college to assess the extent of any subsidy it may be required to provide in the event of any shortfall in service-related income, to check that the ERYC are still happy and to see that parents are still using the service.
The current, projected shortfall is considered to be acceptable, and comfortably within the boundaries of that discussed by the college's governors.
The Service
The service will continue to run in its present form, i.e. it will comprise the 1W and 2W buses ('the service').
The Cost
The cost per student for the service will be £180 per annum in the 2010/11 academic year. The shortfall between the money raised by the pass income and the cost of providing the HOSM/Bubwith service will, for 2010, be met by the college subsidy as long as the number of passengers on the bus remains at a viable level. Travel on the service without a pass could obviously undermine the viability of the service due to an increase in the required subsidy from the college.
Bus Passes
A Woldgate Bus Pass (NOT an ERYC one) will be required by students wishing to travel on the service from September 2010 (the lack of a relevant pass will result in removal of the right to use the service).
Each term a new Bus Pass will be required for use of the service. Bus Passes will be a different colour each term.
Applications
Applications for use of the service shall be made as soon as possible after Monday 5th July, 2010.
Forms can be requested from the college either by telephoning 01759 302395 or by e-mailing buses@woldgate.eriding.net
Every term, a completed application form should be returned to the college together with the £60 (per term) payment, marked "For the Attention of the Finance Manager".
Cheques in payment must be made payable to "East Riding of Yorkshire Council" (not Woldgate College

Holme-on-Spalding-Moor to Woldgate College Bus Issue