A plan to scrap transport subsidies for children who attend faith schools has been postponed by Cheshire East Council after dozens of people turned up at a cabinet meeting to voice their disapproval.

CEC wanted to withdraw transport for new pupils at primary and secondary faith schools from September 2012 to save £1m. Transport for post-16 pupils was also to be withdrawn.

However, council leader Wesley Fitzgerald announced he was postponing the plan for a year.

After adjourning the meeting to consult the cabinet, he said on his return: "We will look very carefully at this in terms of what we want to get out of it in terms of savings and how we do it to achieve stable education for children."

A five per cent increase in fares for faith school pupils from £299 to £314 per year, will still go ahead as will an increase from £415 to £436 per year for post-16 pupils. These will take effect from September. There will be no change to the travel for post-16 pupils with special educational needs.

Children who attend faith secondary schools two to 15 miles from their home are currently entitled to assisted transport to school, although it is not a statutory obligation.

The decision to withdraw transport had been rejected at a special meeting of the Children’s, Schools and Families scrutiny committee on June 20, who said the savings should be found elsewhere.

Earlier in Monday’s meeting at the Municipal Buildings in Crewe, cabinet member for children, schools and families, Coun Hilda Gaddum, defended the proposal, which she put forward, saying: "We are having to make these vast savings across the council. If we don’t go down this route we would have to find this money from somewhere else.

"There is time for schools and colleges to commission their own transport and in many cases I believe they may get it cheaper."

But the cabinet heard over an hour of speeches from opponents of the plan including headteachers, governors and councillors.

Tony Billings, headteacher at All Hallows Catholic College was one of those who spoke. After the meeting, he said: "I think the council have made a very wise decision.

"When Catholic schools can no longer receive the children for whom they were originally designed, their long term sustainability is affected.

"I am disappointed that the situation has not been fully resolved and I can only hope that wisdom prevails in the future."