Council spends £8000pa on a taxi due to VAT on private schools

[Iwishicouldflyhigh]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14403627/Labours-VAT-raid-teenage-girl-private-school-council-fund-8-000-taxi-bill.html

So now a place is being taken up in an overscribed school, a 15 year old has had her eduction severely disrupted and the local council has 8k less in the pot.

Well done Labour!!! One of many stories, i'm sure and so predictable.

Also I’ve just seen that transport funding was only granted following two appeals by the parents - it’s certainly not the normal procedure.

All it says is that "she was told they had no vacancies". It doesn't sound like they actually applied anywhere else, and it appears they bypassed the councils admissions process.

This.

The council sorts out school places AND transport. I'd be surprised if they didn't therefore try to find a closer school for the child to defend the appeal. It's all in their remit.

It's a legal right to get transport if your over 3 miles from school its the closest school that can meet need. The parents are just exercising their legal rights. Unless legal rights need capping in line with income?

Maybe the 8k would be better spent on creating more spaces locally? It's not in parents remit to do that either.

How would people feel on secondary results day if their child had been placed 25 miles away? You would give up your job or home Ed rather than appeal for transport because your LA had failed to provide a local school?

The problem is that many councils are telling parents to contact the schools directly.

It was not necessarily them approaching all the papers - it could have been syndicated across those media,

Home educating her would cost the council more?!

Home education doesn’t cost the council anything !

That's what it sounds like here. The parent was approaching schools directly and no one told them to apply..except the one 25 miles away. Presumably the parent could have gone back to schools admissions and asked them to find a place for her daughter. Undoubtedly it wouldn't have been right though.

Vicious and nasty money grabbing no one no one voted for the Tories- last time. they’re going to be out for years and years and years.

Can schools refuse an application? Surely if no places they have to be put on a waiting list ?

Catchment schools can also be full so you wouldn’t necessarily get a place there. You would, however, be entitled to transport straight away if the school you were placed in (catchment or not) was more than three miles away. The council are not entitled to withhold transport until the start of the new school year.

She was told that they all had no vacancies, including this one but interestingly this one which was 25 miles away was the only one she then applied to despite being told it was also full.

A waiting list place is not a school place.

How lucky it’s outstanding at least and has services links considering the father is ex military.

A drop in the ocean compared to the amount of money taxing private school fees will raise.

No but she should have been applying for all schools

Yes that is rather fortunate. But obviously, having come out of private school, they should have the very best of what the state has to offer.

It’s just odd she only applied to one school. She apparently thought it would be a long wait as was advised this and then had a place 4 weeks later ? So if she had applied to all the nearer schools she may have got a place ? I really don’t think any schools are allowed to refuse an application?

Private schools have never had a VAT exemption. Before Labour introduced this policy the schools paid VAT on all purchases and were unable to reclaim it, unlike most businesses who collect VAT from their customers on behalf of HMRC. Now that the schools will be collecting VAT from their customers (fee-paying parents), they will be able to reclaim VAT. So, next time Eton build a swimming pool they will be able to reclaim any VAT charged on materials and construction. State schools have always been VAT exempt so do not pay on their own purchases.

It is the purchase of educational services that was previously exempt. Ie the parents were exempt and now are not. Although this tweak applies only for private schooling, not any other kind of education.

I wish people understood these basic points about how things work!

And interesting that she didn’t appeal the closer schools not having space but appealed the travel fund not once but twice for the council to pay for the journey!

I’m astounded that the LA didn’t just get her a railcard or a bus pass. This is a teenager, not a 4 year old ffs.

I feel sorry for the child who has had to face the disruption to her education and then be saddled with such a long school commute. The parents have had no choice but to put in this claim and I can't say I blame them. The government must meet its obligation to provide schooling within a reasonable distance to children. It doesn't matter where she was previously educated or if her parents can afford it. She is entitled to this support.

It is the LAs responsibility to provide transport. This service is not means tested.

Exactly .

You’re always going to be saddled with a long commute when your parents have chosen to only apply to one school 25 miles away. That’s fairly obvious and shouldn’t shock anyone, least of all the family.