Mum on warpath after council school bus bill
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A FED-up Invergordon mother has slammed the "ludicrous" red tape preventing her son from using a free school bus.
Gaynor Chalmers is on the warpath with education chiefs after they said her 10-year-old was in the wrong school catchment to qualify – and sent her a bill.
The problem stems from the fact his school, which is less than three miles from the family’s home, is not in his catchment – but another school 10 miles away is.
"I asked them do they realise how ludicrous and ridiculous that sounds," said Mrs Chalmers. "I said would it not make sense for the kids to go to the school that was closest and for the council to get rid of those stupid invisible lines. But they said this kind of change would take a whole year of meetings."
Mrs Chalmers (40) lives at Woodview, Kindeace, with her husband Alan and sons Cody (10) and Cameron, who is six months old. The family relocated from Alness in 2016.
She said: "When we bought this house I just assumed that, because Newmore was closest, that was his school. So I just put in for him to attend there."
The placing request was granted and Cody had been using the free school.
But last week Mrs Chalmers received a council letter demanding payment of last year’s transport costs – saying that because Cody attends Newmore Primary, outwith his catchment, it did not have to provide free transport.
This meant the family had to pay for the school bus, at £7.01 per month, or take him to school.
Mrs Chalmers said she was told that if Cody went to Milton Primary – his official catchment school – it would have been the council’s responsibility to get him to and from it by bus or taxi.
"They actually said that they were not accommodating my child because our house was on the wrong side of the road but if I put him into the school in his catchment area – which is about 10 miles away – they would pay for him to get there. None of this makes any sense."
In desperation Mrs Chalmers took the matter to local councillor Pauline Munro.
Cllr Munro said education chiefs told her they had to stick to council policies "which they said Mrs Chalmers was made aware of at the start of her child’s schooling".
The councillor also said the education department was prepared to "scrap the balance owed for the school bus if she makes direct contact with them, as a goodwill gesture".
She added: "I note Gaynor is calling for a school catchment review, but this isn’t something the council can just do for one child. Reviews are only done if the population of the area is about to go through a major change.
"I know my colleague, Cllr Maxine Smith has wanted a review before with regard to Invergordon’s primary schools, including Milton, but as there is no proper basis for this, she has also been turned down.
"I feel very sorry for Mrs Chalmers and her child and would urge her to speak to the education department."
A Highland Council spokeswoman added that Mrs Chalmers put in a placing request because she knew Newmore was outside the catchment.
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