MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council's ruling Cabinet voted unanimously to bring in charges for post-16 school transport at a meeting on Wednesday.

Despite protests from councillors and a call-in on their controversial decision, the Tory-led Cabinet stuck to their guns and will impose a £200 per student charge from September.

Councillor Doug Edwards said he could visualise officers rubbing their hands with glee at the £50,000 annual clawback and accused the council of imposing a stealth tax on its voters.

He said: "We are unfairly discriminating against post-16 students living in the countryside," he said. "There are 17 local authorities in Wales who don't charge.

"Only last week our lifelong learning and leisure select committee arranged for a firm of consultants to collect information on school meals at a cost of £15,000, 30 per cent of the budget needed. How many more savings could be made?"

Councillor Roger Harris said imposing the charges could only have a detrimental effect on the viability of sixth forms and colleges.

"Fewer pupils will go on to take tertiary education," he said. "Sixth forms and colleges may find they have insufficient number of pupils to maintain courses."

Councillor Phil Hobson said they were looking at a saving of £150,000 in 2006/2007 with 750 pupils paying £200 a year.

"This is a significant saving and equates to the one per cent budget saving we must make according to Assembly directives."

Cabinet leader Councillor Andrew Crump said they were not taking away school transport but adding a charge. The council still had to pay in excess of £600 per pupil in transport subsidy.

"We are still providing financial support to the provision of sixth-form education," he said, "I think the deal families get in Monmouthshire is pretty good. There is no evidence to say students will suffer."