Agenda item

Home to School Transport Appeals

Report of the Executive Director, People Services

Minutes:

6.1

In attendance were the appellant’s representative and Julie Pryor (Customer Services).

 

 

6.2

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.

 

 

6.3

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.SP/AC01).

 

 

6.4

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

 

 

6.5

The appellant’s representative explained to the Committee the reasons for the request for the home to school travel pass.  including the fact that the family had fled domestic abuse and were rehoused at the current address. 

 

 

6.6

In response to questions from Members of the Committee Julie Pryor informed them that the applicant lived under the statutory walking distance of two miles and therefore did not meet the distance criteria as laid out in the Home to school Travel and Transport Policy. With regard to this policy, domestic violence was considered an exceptional circumstance and as such could not be part of the decision at Stage 1 review process. Exceptional circumstances were reviewed at the Stage 2 Appeal and were not in the remit of a Stage 1 review.  She also added that an application for a home to school travel pass for the older sibling had been received in January 2022, but this had been refused due to not attending one of the three nearest qualifying schools.

 

 

6.7

At this stage in the proceedings, the appellant’s representative and officer left the meeting to enable the Committee to consider the evidence.

 

 

6.8

RESOLVED: That the appeal be upheld on the grounds that there are exceptional education and family circumstances demonstrated (Case No. SP/AC01).