Includes
Shopping centre plans split opinion
Junior Jitsu club’s nationals success
WIN a Braun blood pressure monitor!
Page 5
Page 8
Page 15
FP REE! ick me up
SCHOOL BUS BUDGET CUT Thursday, November 7 - Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Advertising/Newsdesk: 01235 511700
www.oxfordjournal.co.uk
Free transport restrictions
Children in Need is in town TELEVISION presenter Alex Jones will be riding through Oxford next Thursday, as part of the return of the Rickshaw Challenge to raise money and awareness for BBC Children in Need. ‘Team Rickshaw’ will be made up of five young people, who will ride with partners
including The One Show’s host Alex. They will cover approximately 700 miles across the UK on an eight-day relay journey, starting tomorrow in Northern Ireland. Alex said: “This is going to be one of the toughest things I’ve ever done, and we will all have our work cut out.”
FREE transport to school for children across Oxford and the rest of the county is set to be cut, as part of cost-saving measures announced by Oxfordshire County Council. Two options are being considered by the council, one of which would see free transport only being offered to a child’s nearest school from their home address. A second option would have the majority of children receiving free transport to their nearest school, extended to the second nearest in some circumstances. Under the current policy, free transport is offered to some children attending schools in their catchment area, even though an alternative school is situated within walking distance. As a result of the changes, the county council would hope to save between £1m and £2m a year. And now the council are ask-
Like us on Search for Oxford Journal
By Adam Flinn adam@taylornewspapers.co.uk
ing for the public to decide which option they fi nd the most favourable. Cllr Melinda Tilley, cabinet member for children, education and families, said: “We deferred a decision on changes to the home-to-school transport policy [in July]. “The council has used the time since to consider the feedback received and put new options on the table for public comment. “We will listen carefully to what people have to say, but we also hope people understand that the county council as a whole is having to fi nd huge savings right across its service areas. “Our home-to-school transport provision is more generous than our neighbouring counties and national requirements, and we have to ask whether that can continue to remain the case.” Back in July, parents and children around the county staged demonstrations against the plans, causing the decision to
be deferred. Campaigners Oxon School Bus Action Group have voiced their displeasure with the proposal of free transport only being offered to the nearest school. In a statement, they said: “We are disappointed that the controversial ‘nearest school’ proposal has come back, despite assurance in the summer that it would not. “Ninety-five per cent of the public objected loudly and angrily to this proposal then and they will again this time. “Perhaps most worryingly of all, Oxfordshire County Council has again failed to provide any justification or assumptions for the claimed £1m to £2m saving.” Nine public meetings are planned between now and December for families to discuss the proposed changes, taking place at venues across Oxfordshire. For information go to www. oxfordshire.gov.uk/htspconsultation. The consultation will run until December 20, with a written report being submitted to the cabinet in January next year.
OxfordOnlinePharmacy.co.uk Convenient Healthcare
FREE next day delivery* Save time and money with our online service
Tel: 01295 262925
*for orders over £40