A CHANGE to education transport funding could see the parents of some children with special needs asked to pay £495 a year.

Young people between the ages of 16 to 25 attending post-16 education centres would be affected from September 2018 in the move being considered by Swindon Borough Council.

There are currently 122 pupils with special education needs receiving free assistance with transport to post 16 facilities. It costs the council around £450,000 a year, which equates to about £4,000 per pupil.

The council is facing significant financial challenges and needs to save £16m in 2018/19 and a further £15m in 2019/20.

The total budget for mainstream and special needs education transport is £3.5m for 2016/17 and it looks set to rise in future years.

When the cabinet meets on Wednesday, councillors will be asked to authorise a consultation on measures to bring down that cost.

The new policy proposes to introduce 'personal travel budgets' of 55p per mile for each post 16 pupil to be spent on privately arranged transport.

Alternatively the council would subsidise the cost of a bus pass where appropriate.

Both options would require the parents of the child with additional needs to make a contribution of £495 a year.

In exceptional circumstances, where a 'personal travel budget' is not suitable due to a young person's particular needs, other options may be considered.

Changes are also proposed for young people in mainstream post 16 education.

Currently the council subsidises travel for 27 young people in Swindon costing £19,300 per year. The parents of 12 out of the 27 already make a contribution to the cost.

But the new proposals would see all mainstream post 16 transport funding stopped, unless the young people could show an exceptional need for it to continue.

If the cabinet approves the proposals, a consultation will take place between May and June this year.