Guidance given by the National Police Chiefs' Councils has come under scrutiny amid allegations of 'two-tier' policing following the Southampton university student's killing.
The 'unsustainable' cost of free school transport has surged by more than 70 per cent in less than a decade - forcing councils to spend £415million more than they had budgeted last year.
The financial struggles have seen local authorities resort to 'essentially payday loans' through the sale of schools, care homes and sports clubs, one expert said.