Councillors have voted for a decision to gradually withdraw funding for religious school transport to be reconsidered.
Bath and North East Somerset Council's cabinet last month decided unanimously in favour of withdrawing the subsidy over seven years in a drive to make savings.
But a number of councillors believed alternative options should be investigated, and the decision was called in for review, in a process led by Councillor Gabriel Batt (Con, Bathavon North).
They were also concerned that the council had not fully assessed the impact of the withdrawal of the transport subsidy and the effect that this will have on the cost of statutory home to school transport support.
After reviewing the evidence a B&NES Council scrutiny panel voted to refer the decision back to the cabinet member for early years, children and youth Councillor Dine Romero (Lib Dem, Southdown), for her to reconsider the decision
Panel chair Councillor Sally Davis (Con, Farmborough) said: "The call-in meeting was very constructive, with a very comprehensive submission by Cllr Batt for the call-in signatories and answers from the cabinet member. Members of the public gave their views which were welcomed by the panel."
The local authority currently spends £258,000 a year helping pupils get to religious schools.
