MONMOUTHSHIRE council has re-awarded college transport to some children and young adults with special educational needs after a month-long battle with parents across the county.

One Caldicot mum whose daughter has had transport reinstated said she broke down in tears when the authority relented.

Kate Kronenbach’s daughter Sophie Fieldhouse, 17, is autistic and needs to be ferried back and forth from Coleg Gwent in Nash every day, where she attends a life skills course. The authority withdrew the offer of transport with a council-run minibus just days before the start of the academic year.

Ms Kronenbach attended talks with council bosses last week and was told her daughter’s transport would be reinstated by email on Thursday night.

She said: “At last they recognised what I was saying for the last eight to 10 weeks - but I should not have had so much stress for that.

“There is very little out there for these kids and to have something given to them and whip it away is not fair on them and it is not fair on their families.

“If she has no college I have not got a job - it all has a snowball effect.”

A council spokesman said from eight appeals the authority has received, four children were successful. Another four children were unsuccessful – but they will also be offered a seat on services.

Another 23 children who were initially rejected in August have not had appeals entered on their behalf, he said.

Gwilym Williams’ son Dafydd, 17, also attends Coleg Gwent and like Ms Fieldhouse saw his transport cut. Dafydd now has a place on the minibus again like he and Ms Fieldhouse had last year.

Mr Williams said: “It’s definitely a relief to know that we are coming to the end of that fight but we have got to keep up the pressure so families do not need to go through it again.

“I think the original board that was making these decisions just didn’t have the knowledge, which is distressing in its own right.

“Since we had the meeting (the council) seem to have gone forward. At least the new panel had people on it who understood difficulties with children like ours. If that is going to be the template for future boards then it is a good step forward.”

Labour group leader Cllr Dimitri Batrouni said: “It is pleasing some parents have been awarded it but it is a shame that they have had to fight for it. The situation should be as easy as possible not as difficult as possible.”

The council has said any cost implications will be “confirmed following [a] procurement process.”