Agenda item

6.1

Verbal Appeal – KI/ED01

6.1.1

In remote attendance were the appellant and Andy Tierney and Julie Pryor (Customer Services).

6.1.2

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked attendees to introduce themselves.  He then outlined the procedure which would be followed during the meeting.

6.1.3

The Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report and commented upon a case where the parent had appealed against the administrative decision made by the Executive Director with regard to the refusal to grant a home to school travel bus pass (Case No. KI/ED01).

6.1.4

Andy Tierney explained the Stage 1 review and Stage 2 appeals process regarding the City Council’s Home to School Transport Policy.  Mr Tierney informed the Committee of the reasons why the request for a home to school travel pass had been refused at Stage 1.

6.1.5

The appellant explained to the Committee the reasons for the request for a home to school travel pass for her child.

6.1.6

In response to questions raised by Members, the appellant stated that her child had been forced to leave his previous school due to severe bullying issues which resulted in him attending hospital with a broken bone. The appellant said that the school her son now attends was due to a managed move to a school in the same “cluster” family of schools.  She added that the schools within her catchment area or nearest suitable school were not acceptable as they did not offer the same Ofsted results as the school he now attends.

6.1.7

At this stage in the proceedings, the appellant left the meeting to enable the Committee to consider the evidence.

6.1.8

The Committee gave consideration to all the supporting information and evidence provided by the pupil’s parent and, arising therefrom, it was:-

6.1.9

RESOLVED: That, subject to the applicant providing evidence of the managed move to the Executive Director, People Services, the appeal be upheld and a zero fare travel pass be granted until the end of the current academic year, on the grounds that there are exceptional family circumstances in the case (Case No.KI/ED01).

6.2

Verbal Appeal – BR01 and BR02

6.2.1

The appellant had stated that he wished to make verbal representations to support his appeal, but unfortunately when contact was made with him to discuss his case, his remote connection had been lost and the host of the meeting was unable to make further contact with him. The Committee decided to consider the cases in the applicant’s absence.

6.2.2

The Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report and commented upon a case where parents had appealed against the administrative decision made by the Executive Director with regard to the refusal to grant home to school travel bus passes (Case Nos. BR01 and BR02).

6.2.3

The Committee gave consideration to all the supporting information and evidence provided by the pupils’ parents and, arising therefrom, it was:-

6.2.4

RESOLVED: That (a) the appeals be not upheld on the grounds that there were no exceptional circumstances demonstrated and, having regard to the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy, the school that the pupils are requesting passes for is not the catchment school (Case Nos.BR01 and BR02); and

(b) the Committee did, however, consider that, due to the technical difficulties preventing his access to the meeting, the appellant should be offered another opportunity to present the cases to the Committee, should he so wish.