Agenda and draft minutes

Members Home to School Transport Appeals Panel - Thursday, 15th June, 2017 10.00 am

Venue: Committee Room 1 (Democratic Services Committee Room), County Hall, Carmarthen - County Hall, Carmarthen. SA31 1JP.. View directions

Contact: Janine Owen 01267 224030

Items
No.	Item
1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Minutes: There were no apologies for absence.
2.	DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST Minutes: There were no declarations of personal interest.
3.	TO SIGN, AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: PDF 205 KB Additional documents: Minutes , item 3. PDF 209 KB Minutes , item 3. PDF 209 KB Minutes: It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Panel’s meetings held on the following dates, be signed as correct records: 3.1 1^st March 2017 (10:00am) 3.2 1^st March 2017 (10:30am) 3.3 1^st March 2017 (11:00am)
4.	EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC THE REPORT RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEM IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS IT CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 12 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) (WALES) ORDER 2007. IF FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST THE PANEL RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION Minutes: UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007 that the following item was not for publication as the report contained exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.
5.	TO CONSIDER AN APPEAL BY APPLICANT HB AGAINST A DECISION BY OFFICERS FOR THE NON-PROVISION OF FREE SCHOOL TRANSPORT. View the reasons why item 5. is restricted Additional documents: Restricted enclosure 7 View the reasons why document 5./2 is restricted Restricted enclosure 8 View the reasons why document 5./3 is restricted Restricted enclosure 9 View the reasons why document 5./4 is restricted Minutes: Following the application of the public interest test it was UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute 4 above, not to publicise the content of the report as it contained exempt information relating to a particular individual. The public interest test in this matter related to the fact that the report included personal information relating to the applicant. Although disclosure would support transparency and accountability in the decision making process, the public interest in maintaining confidentiality outweighed the public interest in disclosure because of the need to protect the identity of the applicant and the family. The Chair welcomed officers from Legal, Environment and Education & Children Services to the meeting. The Panel considered the written representations of the appellant in respect of the refusal of the Stage 1 Review Panel to grant H.B free school transport to a school which was not the nearest or Local Education Authority designated school for the home address and therefore, did not meet the criteria outlined in the Council’s policy for the provision of assistance. The Panel considered the observations of the departmental officers, together with the individual circumstances of the case. The Panel sought clarification on the location of the designated school and nearest LEA school for H.B’s home address. The Panel noted that the appellant could submit an application for H.B to attend the nearest LEA school located within the catchment area. RESOLVED that in line with the Authority’s Home to School Transport Policy, the appeal be refused on the basis that H.B was not attending the nearest or Local Education Authority designated school for the home address, due to parental preference.