Decision details

In the event of transport cancellation due to pupils not travelling the contractor would usually receive 50% of the daily price for up to 5 days. However the current spike in Covid cases has led to significantly more transport cancellations than usual.
Whilst taxi drivers are able to pick up other passengers in place of / in addition to their school runs this is not the case for taxi escorts who are employed in this capacity purely for the school run am and pm. Additionally Escorts tend to be low paid and firms are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain these staff in light of frequent cancellations and interruptions.
Maintaining the Escort payment for periods of cancellation due to pupils self-isolating may provide an extra measure of reassurance and help to maintain continuity and retain staff.
This would also apply to minibus escorts although minibus cancellations are less likely as they carry a number of passengers every day.
It is proposed that this we pay 100% of the Escort cost from January 2022 in the event of a route being cancelled due to pupils self-isolating with covid. Not for any other reason and this would only be for a maximum of 2 weeks. This would be for the period from January to the Easter break initially, so for one term. If numbers continue to be high after Easter a further ODR will be created.

To provide an additional payment to contractors to maintain Escort salaries at 100% in the event of transport being cancelled due to pupils self isolating for Covid.

No other options were considered.