Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Vice-Chair, Councillor Andrea Robinson and Councillor Ken Keegan.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4th September, 2019, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the public and press be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, as amended, on the grounds that exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act, was likely to be disclosed.

The Committee considered an appeal in relation to a request for home to school transport assistance, in respect of Case No. 1213. The Committee was asked to consider whether to allow the appeal based on the exceptional circumstances, as outlined in the Appellants’ letter of support.

The Committee Members and the Appellants had received the agenda and the Hearings Procedure prior to the meeting.

Subsequent to the dispatch of the agenda papers, additional information from the Appellants in support of the appeal had been circulated to Members of the Committee prior to the meeting. The information therein was not for publication, as it contained personal information protected by the Data Protection Act, which was not required to be published.

The Appellants were in attendance at the meeting to make representations and appeal to the Council’s decision to refuse assistance with home to school transport.

At the commencement of the meeting, the Chair welcomed all present, introductions were made and the purpose of the hearing was outlined.

The Appellants confirmed receipt of the agenda and the procedure for the hearing, and confirmed that they understood the procedure to be followed.

The Pupil Support and Passenger Transport Manager was in attendance at the meeting, introduced the report detailing the grounds for the appeal, including the response from the Pupil Support and Passenger Transport Manager which had been shared with the appellants, and presented the case on behalf of the Council, made representations in respect of the appeal, and answered questions from the Committee and the Appellants.

The Appellants presented their case, made representations and answered questions from Members of the Committee.

The Pupil Support and Passenger Transport Manager made a closing statement.  The Appellants were given the opportunity to make a closing statement. The Appellants thanked the Chair of the Committee for having been to the area and observed the walking route.

To conclude, the Chair informed both parties that they would be notified of the outcome of the Committee’s decision in writing and the reasons for the decision, within 5 working days of the meeting. Both parties were then asked to leave the room whilst the Committee deliberated the appeal and reached a decision in private.

In considering the appeal, the Committee had regard to the information set out in the report, the representations made and the evidence presented at the meeting, the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy July 2015, and the DfE guidance on Home to School Travel and Transport.

RESOLVED that

(1)       having considered all the circumstances, the information set out in the report, the representations made, the evidence presented at the meeting, the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy July 2015, and the DfE guidance on Home to School Travel and Transport, Appeal Case No. 1213 be allowed for the reasons agreed by the Committee; and

(2)       the transport assistance awarded in accordance with (1) above be for the end of the pupil’s secondary education at Hayfield School;