To be fucking pissed off with the Council

[CuriousMama]

We got a letter from the council a couple of weeks back saying ds1's bus pass was being covered by the school. Ds1 and now ds2 go to a Catholic Comp and only Catholic children or dcs on school meals get free bus passes. So understandably dp and I were over the moon as this means £95 a term is in the pot. We haven't heard if ds2 even has a pass yet?

But oh no, I opened a letter today saying someone's made an error and we have to pay for it.

Dp will be stotting when he gets out of bed. He's permanent night shift. I'm currently job hunting constantly and feel like writing back to the fucking council and saying I'll have the job of the incompetent twat.

If I moved out, got a council house and went on jobseekers we'd be much better off financially. Not that I will but I know people who do this.

And breath.

You wouldn't be magically given a council house..... Its a myth!

I'm not sure I understand your anger. If you knew the criteria, and knew that you didn't meet it, why didn't you query it a couple of weeks ago ?
And as for going on jobseekers, go right ahead

YABU. You knew you weren't eligible when you got the first letter and should have called up to query it. You're not out of pocket, just back in the original situation you started with.

Send them to a more local school?

If it makes you feel any better I have to pay £50 per month for school transport so my DD can attend sixth form at her catchment school that she has ben at for 5 years, because she is now 16. I am a single parent of 3 with no financial aid from their father !!

No I wouldn't get a council house you're right. I'd have to find a bond and go privately.

I suppose I trusted that the council wouldn't make errors and had actually come to their senses and realised how unfair it is that only certain children have to pay for a bus.

The only local school is terrible. We moved here 2 years ago and dss went to good schools so no way would I send them to schools with such poor reputations. Bullying being the main complaint you hear constantly.

A few parents have their children confirmed but I wouldn't go that route. Ds1 is an aethiest anyway.

iamjustlurking I don't get help from exdh either. I was a single parent until I met dp. He's bringing my dcs up. Never complains about it which is amazing considering exdh thinks nothing of going to expensive sports games and buying ds1 football shirts yet pleads poverty. He doesn't earn much but what he does earn he spends on impractical things.

And no it doesn't make me feel any better it all stinks.

So if you were catholic your bus fee would be paid?

Isn't that discrimination?

How?

If you don't attend your catchment school and are nit catholic then it's down to choice....

No, the Catholic pupils are attending a school for their faith, therefore bus paid as its the closest suitable school whereas OP has chosen the school for different reasons and its not the closest.

We're in a similair situation. DS1's bus pass is £317 a year. Tbh, I'm just glad we got him on the bus.

It's the same all over. I couldn't send dcs to the closest school it would be awful for them. Ds2 is aspie anyway so no way.

Most councils dont pay even for catholic pupils travel anymore as they just cant afford it.
I have never had free travel to my sons catholic secondary and we are catholicand dont send him there to excape a crap secondary.

I'm sorry you got this bad news and will now have to find this money but to be honest I'm more that catholic children get this paid for them because it's the only "suitable" school. Is the non-Catholic school actually satanic and therefore unsuitable?

But I'm sorry that you are now having to face this big bill.

They have started refusing bus passes even if you pay for them here. No school in our village so you have to go to another village and people are being told they live too close to the school to get a pass . Granted from our bit of the village it is a little over a mile so it is perfectly walkable but it is a nightmare for working parents who could shove dcs on the bus and go to work but taking them to school would make them late and a pain for the childminder in the village who can't get passes for all the children she minds.

I think I'm more angry at the fact we have to find £95 before August 30th or else no pass. Plus I haven't heard a dicky about ds2? So he may have to get the public bus and walk a mile. A friend of his,also non catholic is getting a pass?

Am i reading it right, that if your children were confirmed catholic, they'd get a bus pass?

Sometimes I think they stick a pin in the list at random.

I didn't even need to read your post to let you know YANBU! Bloody stupid council. Bloody stupid systems in this country. Gah.

Go to Mass, get the kids confirmed. I am an Atheist and think you should play them at their own game. If they want to discriminate, they should think about what Jesus would do.

Yes that's right. A few I know had their dcs confirmed for this reason. I'm a spiritualist anyway, ds1 says he's aethiest but is more spiritual. DS2 believes in God but is unsure. So I won't be getting them confirmed they can do this when older.

Well I just had a bit of good news. I rang up to query ds2's buss pass and he's getting a free one. The school are covering year 7s. I had heard this but then heard no more? This rumour is why I'd originally thought ds1's pass may have been for real.

Well that's fucking ridiculous. I've heard it all now.

It isn't the school though, they'd happily give a free pass to all if they had the funds. The council decide who gets a pass and who doesn't and who pays and who doesn't? I find it very very strange. It's gone on for years. Archaic imo. But of course it will end with everyone paying.

Can anyone explain to me why the Council, funded by Christians, Muslims, Atheists , Satanists and the rest are giving bus passes based on religion?

No MrsT but when you find out will you tell me please?