AN MP has called for an eleventh-hour rethink on controversial proposals which would see free transport to faith schools axed.

Pat Glass, Labour MP for North West Durham, claims some families in her constituency will be left having to pay more than £1,000-a-year to send their children to school.

On Wednesday, members of Durham County Council’s ruling cabinet will vote on a report recommending a package of cuts designed to save the council £6m over the next four years.

The proposals include axing free transport to faith schools, ending the contribution to transport costs for pupils over 16 and raising the distance from home to school at which children receive free transport from two miles to three.

Councillor Claire Vasey said the review was regrettable but unavoidable given the £123.5m cuts imposed on the council by the Government.

However, Mrs Glass said the proposals would not only hit some families in the pocket, but suggested they could threaten the viability of some rural schools in her constituency.

She said: “If this goes ahead there are concerns that rural schools, like Wolsingham School, will lose pupils to schools in neighbouring counties which provide free buses.

“Faith schools in County Durham admit and educate some of the most disadvantaged children in the county and yet, consistently, their educational outcomes are among the highest.

“These schools do not cherry-pick the brightest or most advantaged, they are inclusive, high achieving and a credit to the county. This policy will reverse that.”

Mrs Glass said the decisions were being forced on the council by the Government, but added: “I’m asking the cabinet to think very hard before making these decisions.

“There needs to be a lot more work done to check that the unintended consequences of this decision do not make the financial situation worse or damage the education of young people.”