Welsh diocese wins free transport case in landmark ruling

A WELSH court has ruled that Swansea City Council acted unlawfully when it cut free school transport to faith schools in a decision that could pave the way for dioceses in England to challenge similar local authority cuts, writes Liz Dodd.

In his judgment on Friday Mr Justice Wyn Williams, Presiding Judge of the Wales Circuit, said that the council’s decision last July to cut transport for children at faith schools but maintain it to Welsh-language schools would  disadvantage children from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

The case was brought by the Diocese of Menevia, Bishop Vaughan School and one of its prospective pupils. There are six faith schools in the area, of which five are Catholic. There are 12 Welsh-language schools.

A Tablet investigation last year found as of 2015, almost all county councils have slashed discretionary funding for transport to faith schools.

The Director of the Catholic Education Service, Paul Barber, welcomed the judgement, which he said would improve access to Catholic education.