[Mrluvaluva]

In what is thought to be the first move of its kind in the country, children in Flintshire, north Wales whose parents are non-believers will be denied free transport to school.

Parents and Roman Catholic priests in the area have united to accuse the council, which is making cuts, of discrimination against people without religious faith.

It comes in stark contrast with controversy elsewhere in the UK where councils have scrapped subsidised travel to faith schools – worth around £500 a year per child – across the board.

In such cases councils have been accused of introducing a “tax on religion” and discriminating against people of faith.

But in Flintshire, the council proposes to single out parents who do not profess religious faith but want their child to benefit from education in a church school.

Under the proposal, due to come into force next year, children would have to produce a baptism certificate, a letter from a priest or other “suitable evidence of adherence to the faith of the school”.

But the task of working out exactly how parents would prove their child’s religion is to be left to the schools.

One school which would be affected is St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School, in Flint, at which more than half of admissions come from non-Catholic primary schools.

One mother with a daughter at the school who fears she will not be able to send her younger child there said: “My children have not been christened, through my choice not theirs, but the school faith is all they have ever known.

"Just because a child has a baptism certificate it does not mean they are any more active believers than those who haven't.

"It is prejudiced to ask parents of non-baptised children to pay for their transport."

Canon Joe Stuart of Connah's Quay Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church said: “Education in this country is free, you can't penalise people according to their faith by imposing a financial penalty if they have been accepted to the faith school but don't share the belief.”

Greg Pope, deputy director of the Catholic education Service for England and Wales, said: “We appreciate that this year’s financial settlement has been difficult and that local authorities are having to make tough decisions.

“However we hope that councils will stand by their obligations to support home-to-school transport, otherwise it makes parental choice difficult for many families.”

A council statement said: “Like all councils, Flintshire County Council is under considerable pressure to make savings on its public spending.

“As a result, the council has had to look at every aspect of its work, especially where it is not compulsory for us to provide services and to consider how they can be delivered more efficiently and cost effectively.”

There are 12 denominational schools in the area.


The Telegraph

Whatever next?