Agenda item

9.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, submitted reports and commented upon 30 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.

9.2

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:-

9.3

RESOLVED: That (a) nine appeals be upheld on the grounds that there are either exceptional educational, financial, medical or family circumstances in the cases (Case Nos. LO1, LO2, St.M1, HH2, HH3, HH4, NF2, NF3 and TA1), with the passes in the cases now mentioned being granted up to the end of the Academic Years as now stated;

(b) 20 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 distance from the home addresses of four pupils to the schools for which they are requesting passes for is less than the distance in the criteria (Case Nos. St.C2, MH2, MH and ND2), (ii) the schools that five of the pupils are requesting passes for are not their catchment school/nearest suitable school (Case Nos. MB1, PY1, FH1, FH2 and OA1), (iii) 10 of the pupils do not attend one of their three nearest qualifying schools (Case Nos. PW1, Bir1, HG1, HH1, HS1, HS2, NH1, NF1, STO1 and BR1) and (iv) with regard to the remaining appeal, relating to a voluntary-aided school, the religious education provided at the school is not of the pupil’s parents’ religion or denomination (Case No. ND1); and

(c) consideration of the remaining appeal be deferred to enable the Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, to seek further information in connection with the case (Case No. St.C1).