MOST grammar school pupils will have to pay for the school bus in future, the county's education chief has said, with possible costs of £1,170 per year.

Half of children in upper schools will have to fork out under the cost-saving changes, parents were told at a meeting.

Councillor Mike Appleyard explained on Wednesday night that County Hall must make drastic cuts.

By 2017, Buckinghamshire County Council's budget will have dropped to £175m per year, equivalent to half of the figure five years ago.

Therefore, the current school transport policy, costing £14m per year now, is unaffordable, Cllr Appleyard said.

He needs to slash it by ten per cent – £1.4m.

Speaking to about 20 mums and dads at Beaconsfield High School as part of the public consultation, he outlined the two main options being considered.

Under the first option, travel will be free if pupils go to their nearest eligible school and it is more than three miles away.

But grammar school pupils, whose home is closer to an upper school, would miss out on free bus passes.

Those who pay would face about £10 a week charges, or £1 per journey, equating to £390 over the 39 week school year.

Option two would mean children at grammar schools would not pay, if it is their nearest grammar school, and it is more than three miles away.

If this became policy, upper school pupils who have to pay would still only pay the weekly £10.

But pupils going to a grammar school which is not their nearest one will face £20-25 at least.

Parents were told this may end up as much as £30 – or £1,170 annually.

Some bemused mums questioned how the impact on grammar pupils would be fair, arguing grammar schools would become more selective and about who could afford to pay the travel fees – rather than academic ability.

Cllr Appleyard insisted it would not be fair to make upper school parents pay more than the £10.

With fewer people paying under option two, he said the higher fees for grammar pupils would be to make up the shortfall of the savings BCC needs to make.

He said: “If you are going to your nearest school (three miles or more away), you don't pay.

“Fifty percent of upper children will be paying in future, most of the grammar school children will have to pay.

“I'm not going to duck the fact that we have to charge, I'm trying to make our charging as straight forward and simple as possible.”

Cllr Appleyard will also decide if the plans will be phased in.

This may mean pupils already at secondary schools will not face any fees.

Cllr Appleyard admitted none of the options will be popular.

“I'm hung, drawn and quartered whatever option I choose,” he said.

His final decision will come before March and changes will be introduced on September 1.

The consultation finishes on January 31.

See it on related articles below.

Below is a county council video from last year in which Cllr Appleyard speaks about the changes.

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THE education chief told parents he was looking at the 11 plus test, as they expressed fears travel costs could make grammar schools a place for wealthy families only.

Primary school pupils must sit the entrance exam to get into grammar schools.

Cllr Appleyard said: “It may be that (the test) and the coaching which has a far bigger effect on who goes to a grammar.”

But asked after the meeting to elaborate on his comments by the BFP, Cllr Appleyard refused to be drawn on the issue.

“I don't want to talk about the 11 plus,” he said.

“The 11 plus is an issue we are only just starting to look and I think there is enough of a story on home to school transport, we'll talk about 11 plus another time.”

But in December he told another newspaper he was aware many pupils are getting private tuition, which is putting wealthier families at an advantage, and less financially stable families at risk.

He indicated the council is looking at alternatives to the current exam system to get into grammar schools.