ST Helens Council will not charge families of children with special educational needs (SEN) fees for post-16 travel arrangements following a backlash from parents.

Families were informed earlier this year that they would have to pay an annual charge of £1,720 for transport to colleges or special-needs sixth-forms from September.

This prompted a coordinated response from several families, accusing the council of not giving parents/carers sufficient time to make informed choices and therefore failing in its legal duties.

But days before the new term starts, council chiefs have informed families that it has ‘postponed’ the SEN travel charges.

“St Helens Council can confirm that charges to post-16 special educational needs (SEN) travel for the 2018-19 academic year have been postponed to allow for further review,” a council spokesman said.

“In spring 2017, the council launched a consultation with the view to change the home to school travel assistance policy.

“This was due to government funding for the service in St Helens being significantly reduced, despite a steady increase in the number of students applying for school travel assistance.

“Under the proposed changes students and families entitled to free school meals; those in receipt of universal credit/income support; or those entitled to the highest level of working tax credit, would have received a 75 per cent discount – while the local authority would have also continued to provide a subsidy (on average £3,400 per place) towards the overall £5,100 cost.

“Following feedback from those affected, the council is postponing any implementation to review the options available and to undertake further engagement with those who might have been impacted.”

The council spokesman said the authority will carry out a further review of transport arrangements for pupils with special educational needs for 2019-20.

The spokesman said: “The budget savings requirements have not changed, and the council will need to seek alternative ways of making savings, so although no charges will be introduced to the service this year, the council will have to explore its options in the future to meet savings targets, while coming to a fair and workable solution for the families that depend on this service.

“The council will undertake a further review of transport arrangements for pupils with special educational needs for the academic year 2019-20, and any future proposals will be subject to parental consultation.

“The families affected by the proposed changes have been notified.”

Chris Valentine-Smith, whose 16-year-old son Ethan has Down’s syndrome and autism, is one of the parents who wrote to the council in opposition to the transport charges.

While welcoming the climb-down from the council, Mr Valentine-Smith said the families still have a fight on their hands.

“From a parent’s perspective this is a welcome U-turn by the council,” the Bold ward resident said.

“This was after parents of children with special needs in each of the wards contacted every one of the councillors in the borough.

“It was heartening to discover that a number of councillors supported our campaign and were able to make the relevant department convene an urgent review of the policy document in light of the probable illegal flaws in it.

“This is however only a battle won and not the war as they have stated that they will be looking to undertake a further review for the next academic year.”

Mr Valentine-Smith previously accused the council of ‘discriminating’ against children with special educational needs.

A St Helens Labour group spokesman said the council has previously resisted implementing the charge but was ‘forced to reconsider’ following cuts from central government.

The Labour spokesman said: “Unlike the majority of other councils, St Helens Borough Labour councillors have resisted charging for Special Educational Needs and Disability transport in the face of huge government cuts.

“However, when the Tories specifically cut the grant for this service by an astonishing 88 per cent, we were forced to reconsider.

“Last year, the council engaged with the families of the 43 young people receiving this increasingly overspent service to find the best way forward.

“This involved increasing support for these families driving their children to school.

“But it also meant the council could only subsidise students' other travel costs by on average 66 per cent a year.

"The subsidy was much higher for families on low incomes.”

The Labour spokesman said it will now ‘review the options again with families’.

“We committed to listen to any further input from parents before implementing the policy,” the Labour spokesman said.

“Having looked at the case with fresh eyes and listened to constructive comments received, we have concluded that the best approach is to now hold off implementing the charges for this year and review the options again with families.”

St Helens council leader Derek Long added: "We will continue to campaign to reverse the Tories' 88 per cent cut.

“We will look again to find a way forward but, with three quarters (and rising) of the council's spending already going to vulnerable younger or older residents.

“Finding another almost one per cent of our council tax income from the remaining spending we make on things like highways and waste collection will be challenging."