Agenda item

To consider an appeal lodged in connection with the provision of assistance for home to school transport.

(This item contains personal information regarding the appellant which is exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972).

The Committee considered an appeal that had been lodged in connection with a decision taken by officers within the Children’s Services Directorate not to provide assistance with home-to-school transport.

Mrs L Rowbottom presented the case on behalf of the Authority.

The Appellant was in attendance at the meeting.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Mr Caveney, Deputy Head of Legal Services, (Litigation and Delivery) and Miss Burnett, Clerk to the Committee.

The Committee carefully considered all the information submitted by the appellant and the Authority both in writing and verbally at the meeting. 

The Committee had regard to the Council’s Home to School and College Transport Policy document and noted that the specified walking distance for a child from a low-income family was two miles and a suitable school was one of three closest community schools to the family home. 

The Committee was advised that at the time of application, places were available at all three of the closest community schools to the family home, Highfield Leadership Academy, South Shore Academy and Unity Academy Blackpool.  It was confirmed that when applying the policy, the distance from the family home to the child’s school could not take into consideration any possible road works or traffic issues, as those were variable.

However, due to personal reasons it had been parental preference for the appellant’s child to continue to attend Lytham St Annes High Technology College following the family move.

The Committee considered the appellant’s reasons for wanting assistance with home-to-school transport costs and acknowledged her reluctance to separate the siblings and change her youngest child’s school again, in view of the family’s intention to relocate back to St Annes in the near future.

The Committee gave careful regard to the appellant’s concerns and after carefully considering all the evidence before it, the Appeals Committee was satisfied that the decision not to provide assistance with home to school transport costs was made in accordance with the Council’s Home to School and College Transport Policy.

Resolved:

To uphold the officer’s decision not to provide assistance with home to school transport costs on the grounds that the decision was made in accordance with the Council’s Home to School and College Transport Policy and there were insufficient exceptional circumstances to override the Policy.

Background papers:  Exempt