COUNCIL leaders are being urged to look again at a decision to remove free transport for children who face a hazardous walk to school.

Durham County Council's scrutiny committee is asking the council's cabinet to reconsider after finding flaws in the consultation process used at Blackfyne School, Consett.

It has recommended new guidelines and the adoption of a policy, containing criteria for assessments, for the further reviews to be carried out at 17 other schools across the county.

Since 1984 children from Leadgate who attend Blackfyne have been able to travel by bus to and from school, even though they live within two miles of the school.

The discretionary award was made because their route to school was deemed to be hazardous.

However, a recent officers' review of the decision concluded that the route was safe and free travel should be scrapped.

The cabinet's decision was "called in'' by the scrutiny committee at the request of independent councillor Watts Stelling.

Afterwards Councillor Stelling said he was "happy but not totally happy'' with the outcome.

He said road safety issues were included in the criteria because objective data was available, but the risk of youngsters becoming victims of crime was considered subjective.

He said: "They are uncomfortable with subjective issues like the weather up here and the topography.

"This area is 885 ft above sea level and we get snow. Some of the trees are bent over 45 degrees because of the wind.

"The pavements aren't gritted so if they are icy, children have to walk on the road.

"A two-mile walk in Leadgate is different from a two-mile walk in Peterlee."

Councillor Stelling also said that he was concerned that if the Blackfyne decision was not reversed by the cabinet, school attendance could fall.