THE county's church schools are to lose their free buses from next year unless a plan backed by Herefordshire Council's cabinet is held-up at the last minute.

Cabinet has agreed to scrap the free buses and instead backed a scheme that has parents helping to cover the cost of journeys.

But members heard the decision would probably be called-in by the children's services scrutiny committee.

Committee chairman Councillor Barry Ashton told cabinet last Thursday that his members had concerns about consultation over the future for free buses.

The committee can ask cabinet to think on its decision again.

Under the cabinet-backed plan, pupils currently getting free transport can keep it, unless they change schools.

From September 2006, the council intends to offer a subsidised scheme with the parents of new pupils paying a contribution - probably around £100 a term with a reduced rate for families on low incomes.

Parents would only be expected to pay for a maximum of two children per term for pupils attending the same school.

Cabinet ordered a review of free transport to church schools earlier this year. Meeting in secret session, members were told that the present policy and the way it worked left the council open to legal challenges.

Parents of pupils at the county's faith schools organised protests and a prayer meeting in High Town, Hereford, to stop the scheme from being scrapped.