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Thousands of fines handed to parents

More than 2,500 fines have been handed out to parents in the Black Country and Staffordshire for taking their children out of school during term time in the last two years.

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Over half of them have been dished out in the last year after new legislation came into force in September giving headteachers the power to only grant term-time absences in exceptional circumstances.

The move has proved controversial across the country with a number of parents being hauled before the courts for refusing to pay the fines.

Parents face a £60 fine per child, for breaching the rules - increased to £120 if not paid in full by 21 days.

They face court if they don't pay by 28 days.

Figures show that of the fines handed out in this region 1,501 were in the last year (2013/14).

The year 2013/14 saw a rise of 434 from the previous 12 months on penalties dished-out

Walsall Council gave out the most fines, 1,455 fines out of 2,568 given by authorities.

Figures also show that the Dudley authority gave out 224 in 2012/13 then 248 in 2013/14.

Sandwell fines increased more than five-fold from 15 in 2012/13 to 87 in 2013/14.

In Wolverhampton the number of fines more than doubled from 125 in 2012/13 to 303 the following year.

Staffordshire County Council's figures shot up from 19 in 2012/13 to 92 a year later.

Walsall Council children services chief, Councillor Mohammed Arif, said: "In order to learn and achieve it is important that children attend school regularly.

"We take school attendance seriously, using the funding received toward a post to monitor school attendance and absence.

"We will make every effort to support families to ensure their children attend school every day and avoid parents receiving fixed penalty notices."

Sandwell Council said it was down to the schools to decide what they classed as 'exceptional circumstances'.

Spokesman Chris Horst said: "It is the headteacher or principal, not the local council, that authorises the leave of absence and decides the threshold of the exceptional circumstance. "

Wolverhampton City Council said the rise was possibly brought on by a change in legislation last year.

Figures across the country also showed an increase in penalty charges since the government introduced the ban

It is estimated 64,000 fines have been issued since the law change.

Lancashire Council saw the highest number of penalties given across the country, 1,125 for 2012/13 and 3,106 in 2013/14.

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