Issue - meetings

(time limit 30 minutes)

Motion 1: Provision of Free School Travel for all Children in Temporary Accommodation

To be Moved by Councillor Akhtar

To be Seconded by Councillor Chowhan

1.    Reason for Motion

To ensure that children living in temporary accommodation (TA) in Oldham are not disadvantaged by their housing situation and can maintain stability in education.

“No child should be punished for their family’s housing situation”.

2.    Background (Latest Facts)

  Oldham picture

•  At 31 March 2025, there were 562 households in temporary accommodation in Oldham (Table TA4).

•  In Q1 2025 (Jan–Mar) there were 310 households with children (748 Children between 0-18) in TA (most recently published government data).

•  TA is intended to be short-term (around six weeks), but Oldham data show many households remain beyond 6 months across B&B and nightly-paid placements.

•  Composition (Oldham, 31 Mar 2025):

o B&B: 173 households (incl. cases over 6 months).

o Nightly paid, self-contained: 259 households (many 6–12 months and 1–2 years).

o Hostels: 5 | Private sector leased: 87 | LA/HA stock: 38.

National/GM context

•  England total: 131,140 households in TA (31 Mar 2025).

•  Law already provides free school travel if:

a.     >2 miles (under 8) or >3 miles (8+), or

b.    no safe walking route, or

c.    child cannot walk due to SEND/disability/mobility needs.

•  Locally, children with an EHC Plan are supported from a SEN perspective and continue to receive travel assistance where already in place.

•  GM operating practice: when a family is in paid nightly TA in another GM borough, they can apply for bus passes from the host borough, but only if they meet standard distance criteria—leaving a gap for many placed nearer than the mileage thresholds yet far from their original school.

Political momentum: The Manchester Evening News campaign calls for free bus passes for children in TA living >30 minutes’ walk from school. As of 25 Aug 2025, six GM MPs publicly back the campaign. No GM local authority has yet adopted a borough-wide concession.

Why discretionary action is needed

Children rehoused (often suddenly) can face long, complex, and costly journeys to their existing school—leading to lateness, absence, and stress.

The statutory mileage rules do not cover many TA cases; discretionary support is therefore required to protect educational continuity.

3.    Current Position in Oldham

Oldham complies with national transport duties and supports pupils eligible under distance/safety/SEND criteria. Children in TA who fall short of mileage thresholds (or are rehoused across GM) face a policy gap. Acting now would make Oldham the first GM authority to introduce a dedicated concession for children in TA.

4.     Proposal

This Council resolves:

1.    To extend free school travel (bus pass or taxi, as appropriate) to all school-aged children living in TA in Oldham, irrespective of statutory mileage thresholds.

2. To instruct officers in Children’s Services, Education and Transport to:

a. Define eligibility based on verified TA status (including placements within and across GM).

b. Develop delivery models (bus passes, pre-approved  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.