Agenda item

6.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, submitted reports and commented upon 14 cases where parents had appealed against the administrative decisions made by the Executive Director with regard to the refusal to grant home to school travel bus passes.

6.2

The Committee gave consideration to all the supporting information and evidence provided by the pupils’ parents including, in some cases, evidence and advice provided by voluntary or professional bodies and organisations and, arising therefrom, it was:-

6.3

RESOLVED: That (a) 10 appeals be not upheld on the grounds that there are no exceptional circumstances demonstrated and, having regard to the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy, (i) the school that three of the pupils are requesting a pass for is not their catchment school/nearest suitable school (Case Nos. PED1, SAC1 and KIED3), (ii) the distance from the home address of four of the pupils to the school for which they are requesting a pass for is less than the distance in the criteria (Case No. CON1, CON2, NED1 and PAR1) and (iii) three of the pupils do not attend one of their three nearest qualifying schools (Case Nos. PEN1, PEN2 and KIED1);

(b) three appeals be upheld on the grounds that there are either exceptional educational, financial, medical or family circumstances in the cases (Case Nos. KIED2, NEW1 and TAP1); and

(c) it be noted that Case No. FIPA1 had been withdrawn from consideration by the Executive Director as additional information had been received prior to the meeting resulting in the Executive Director overturning her original decision and granting a home to school travel pass.

(NOTE:  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 26 of the Council’s Constitution and the provisions of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the Chair decided that Case No. TAP1 be considered as a matter of urgency in order for the request to be considered at the earliest possible opportunity although it had not been possible to give five clear days’ notice that the request was to be considered).