School holiday fines should be ‘sensible’ says councillor

Councillor Anne Millward said there should be a rethink over the policy of fining parents who take pupils out of school for holidays during term time.

Councillor Millward, who is also a school governor, said there needed to be a ‘sensible solution’ to stop parents being punished every time.

Dudley Council will re-instate the fining system from the start of the next school year after it was halted following a high-profile legal challenge from a father on the Isle of Wight.

The authority said the move was ‘overwhelmingly supported’ by headteachers.

It means parents who take their children out of school during term time will be fined £60. If that is not paid within 21 days, it will rise to £120.

But the move has proven unpopular with many parents feeling it is unfair to be hit in the pocket for taking their child out of school.

Councillor Millward, cabinet member for children’s services at Dudley Council, said she sympathised with parents who only wanted to take their children out for a few days, and that in some cases ‘common sense should prevail’.

She believes it should be for headteachers to decide each case on its merits.

“Keeping children in school is absolutely paramount for their education but I also recognise as a governor of a school where there are high levels of deprivation there are parents who take their children on small holidays where they collect vouchers,” she said.

“These are out of season and sometimes are the only holiday these children get. I’m not in favour of taking them out for two weeks every year but I do think it needs to be handled sensitively.”

The policy of fining parents was suspended last year when father Jon Platt fought a legal battle in attempt to have his penalty overturned.

However, after the Supreme Court ruled in the council’s favour, fines are now set to start up again.

Dudley Council’s cabinet is set to approve the re-introduction of fines next week.