Shropshire parents taken to court over term-time holidays

In October, three north Shropshire parents were fined for failing to ensure their children regularly attend school.

The mother and father of a 13-year-old, and the father of a 15-year-old, appeared at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court after their children's attendance fell well below average.

Telford &Wrekin Council: 2013/14

Number of penalty notices: 651

Amount collected: £35,400

2014/15

Number of penalty notices: 777

Amount collected: £43,140

2015/16 to December 16

Number of penalty notices: 346

Amount collected: £15,960

Shropshire Council: 2013/14

Number of fixed penalty notices issued: 360

312 of these for holidays in term time

48 of these for other unauthorised absences

Amount collected: £17,520

Paid at £60 within 21 days: 282 totalling £16,920

Paid at £120 within 28 days: 5 totalling £600

2014/15

Number of fixed penalty notices issued: 346

321 of these for holidays in term time

25 of these for other unauthorised absences

Amount collected: £18,900

Paid at £60 within 21 days: 307 totalling £18,420

Paid at £120 within 28 days: 4 totalling £480

2015 to December 15

Number of fixed penalty notices issued: 116

106 of these for holidays in term time

10 of these for other unauthorised absences

Amount collected: £5,100

Paid at £60 within 21 days: 81 totalling £4,860

Paid at £120 within 28 days: 2 totalling £240

In 2014, Natasha and Stewart Sutherland of Telford were fined after taking their three children on a term-time holiday in Rhodes, Greece, in September 2013.

The couple were told to pay £1,000 in fines and costs after the case reached Telford Magistrates Court.

The case created headlines across Britain, the issue of term-time holidays striking a chord with families across the country.

And while the couple pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to ensure a child of compulsory school age attended school regularly, there has been much sympathy from other parents.

These parents helped to make up a total of £136,020 that was collected by neighbouring authorities Telford &Wrekin Council and Shropshire Council since 2013/14 academic year to December 15 last year.

After issuing the latest figures under a Freedom of Information request, a spokesman for Shropshire Council said: "We will continue to take robust and appropriate action regarding the minority of parents who allow unauthorised absence, in order to ensure that all children are able to access the education to which they are entitled.

"In Shropshire we are proud of the excellent attendance rates of our pupils, which are consistently above the national average.

For example, the average attendance of all Shropshire schools over the Autumn term 2015 reached a record high of 96.3 per cent."

Fixed penalty notices give parents have up to 28 days from receipt to pay, after which the authority is required to commence proceedings in the Magistrates' Court for the original offence of poor attendance.