Home-to-School Transport SEND Review

CASE STUDIES

At a Glance…

Gateshead Council had been experiencing significant cost increases in recent years for its Home to School Transport (HTST) Provision — overspending by £1.28m in 2023/2024. Whilst growth had been built into the budget for 2024/2025, no further increases were planned, therefore it was recognised that mitigating actions were required to ensure future service sustainability.

The Challenge

Gateshead Council engaged Peopletoo to conduct a comprehensive review of their HTST service to identify opportunities for improvement, efficiencies, and actions to address budget pressures. The Council sought an end-to-end analysis, including the impact of the wider SEND model on transport needs, recognising that only a holistic approach could optimise the service. Peopletoo’s expertise in Children’s Services and SEND positioned them to deliver this in-depth review effectively.

Our Approach & Delivery

Peopletoo implemented the project through several focussed workstreams, including:

Policy, Applications, and Eligibility: Reviewed key processes to identify blockages and streamline capacity.
Technology and Data: Evaluated transport management systems (TMS), benchmarked service data, and developed a Power BI dashboard for ongoing use.

Commissioning and Alternative Models: Assessed the current commissioning model and considered alternative delivery models (e.g., in-house solutions or trading companies).

Wider SEND: Evaluated how the SEND strategy integrated with transport, identifying areas for improvement.

Key activities included on-site process mapping, document reviews against best practice, and strategic market engagement to shape service delivery.

The Impact

Outcomes Achieved

Peopletoo made several recommendations:

Policy and Applications: Updates to the 5-16 policy and streamlined application processes, including a digital option.
Technology: Identified suitable TMS solutions to improve efficiency and reduce demand on resources.
Transport and Vehicle Usage: Suggested an optimised vehicle mix and alternative transport approaches, such as personal budgets and active travel solutions.

People and Market: Confirmed resource levels were sufficient but stressed the need for process improvements and strategic market engagement.

Savings: Achieved approximately 9% net savings within the current demand profile, while recommendations aimed to mitigate growth pressures rather than reduce the budget directly.