Bexley Council is on track to save £400k after it controversially changed its transport policy for some of the borough’s most vulnerable kids.

Council bosses told a scrutiny panel this week that it has ironed out issues that arose during a problematic trial for its transport changes for teenagers with special educational needs.

Last year the authority introduced a small charge for families with post-16 kids needing extra help getting to school, and moved to have teens go to pick up spots rather than wait at their individual houses.

The council admitted it had difficulties with the changes last year as many families were forced into appealing their applications for transport help.

Labour councillors said they have had a high number of cases where families are struggling, claiming transport has been “removed” – although the council denied that at the time.

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This year’s process has gone smoother, councillors were told, as bosses said the council was on track to save £400k through the changes.

Improving routes, introducing collection points and implementing independent travel training has all contributed to the council making savings.

Cabinet member for education John Fuller told councillors: “One of the fundamental things to saving money is getting the routes right and getting the people picked up in the right place. In the testing period of four and half months we saved just over £200,000.

“The good part about it was taking on board all the things that went wrong last year. Communication and getting the schools on our side.

“This time round the schools are there to help us. All the new families know about what is going on and what is happening. The majority of the appeals we had last year we won – the council was correct.”

It comes as papers prepared for next week’s cabinet meeting reveal big pressures for the budget for high needs kids in the borough.

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Officers said: “A deficit budget of £3.2m has been set for 2019/20 and further cost pressures estimated at around £1.2m are emerging in monitoring for 2019/20 which means that the accumulated deficit is likely to worsen to more than £7m by March 2020.”

Bexley has a cumulative budget gap of £38m by 2023, with the council having already found savings of £100m since 2011.

Recent research by the Local Government Association (LGA) revealed that one in three council’s fear funding for vital services will run dry by 2023.

The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, called this week for the next Prime Minister to prioritise local public services and give councils certainty about future funding.