Shropshire parents fined £200,000 for holidays in term time

Figures have revealed the number of £60 fines that have been handed out to parents in the region for term time holidays and for children’s ‘irregular attendance’.

Statistics obtained through a freedom of information request showed that Telford and Wrekin Council has collected £160,070 in fines since 2012/13.

Shropshire Council took £64,260 in fines, with figures across the West Midlands increasing annually until last year when many authorities stopped issuing them amid a high court legal challenge that eventually failed.

Across the West Midlands more than 22,000 parents were issued with fines in the past five years, with over 2,000 being taken to court because of their child’s low attendance.

Walsall Council has collected the most at £227,310 in fines in that time, Wolverhampton Council took £128,200, Dudley £44,100, and Sandwell £39,120. Staffordshire County Council has collected £102,080 over the past two years.

The figures have prompted criticism from some quarters, with Liberal Democrat campaigner Sarah Quarmby, who compiled the data after submitting the request, describing it as “scandalous money grabbing”.

“Many parents have no choice when to take their holidays. People in some jobs have to work all through the summer at the height of the tourism season,” she said.”Others simply cannot afford to go on holiday at peak times, when the cost of holidays goes through the roof. So, it’s vitally important to offer more flexibility to schools and head teachers to help families who need to take a break together.

“We believe that headteachers should be allowed to grant up to 10 days of term-time absence in special circumstances”.

By law all children aged between five and 16 must receive a ‘suitable full-time education’.

Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances, according to the law.

A fine of £60 is issued for taking a child out of school for an unauthorised attendance, increasing to £120 if not paid within 21 days. If the fine is not paid it will lead to a hearing in the magistrates’ court and may result in a fine of up to £1,000.

In Wales families are allowed up to 10 days of term time holiday at the head teacher’s discretion.

In January, the former Welsh education secretary Huw Lewis wrote to councils saying it was wrong to tell head teachers to ban all term time leave.

His intervention followed a petition by parents last year against fines for taking holidays in term time.