409.The amendments made by this section aim to transfer greater responsibility from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to the Learning and Skills Council for England (the LSC) in relation to the provision of transport by local education authorities and their partners for 16 – 19 year olds. This provision enables young learners to get from home to their place of learning e.g. school or college.
410.The changes will make the LSC responsible for managing operational arrangements including issuing guidance to local education authorities on how they should develop transport policy statements under section 509AA of the 1996 Act; dealing with case work and queries from students and parents; and liaising with local education authorities where their local policies are challenged. The LSC will also offer advice to the Secretary of State where there may be a case for him to consider directing local education authorities to improve the arrangements set out in their transport policy statements.
411.These functions are currently provided under sections 509AA to 509AC of the 1996 Act. The measures provided for in this section are intended to ensure that transport services continue to be available but that they are managed more efficiently in the learner support unit at the LSC. This will allow the Department to continue the transfer of the management of learner support to the LSC as recommended in the Department’s efficiency scrutiny.