Surge in fines for parents taking children on term time holidays

THERE has been a massive increase in the number of parents fined this year in parts of Yorkshire as a result of a crackdown on children being taken out of school during term time.

Nationally the number of fines issued to parents for their children’s absence has risen by around 70 per cent according to a new national survey.

However in some areas of Yorkshire there have been up to ten fold increases.

In Leeds the number parents fined has risen from 93 in 2012/13 to 821 in 2013/14.

In North Yorkshire the figures have risen from just 38 in 2012/13 to 517 in the last academic year.

Both the East Riding and Doncaster have been named in a table of the local authorities issuing the most fines nationally.

The East Riding Council is said to have issued 1,594 fines up from 1,066 a year earlier while in Doncaster the figure has more than doubled from 630 to 1,424.

In Barnsley it has more than doubled from 118 fines issued to 278 while Hull’s figure for 2013/14 was 840 fines up from 476.

In contrast Calderdale has only seen a small increase from 104 to 120.

Nationally just under 64,000 fines were handed out between September and July, compared to 37,650 in the previous academic year, the research carried out by the BBC found.

Tougher guidelines from the Department for Education which effectively ban children being taken out of school for holidays during term-time was introduced by the Government in September last year and fines are issued by the local authorities on behalf of schools in their area.

Coun Judith Blake, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for children and families said: “The increase in the number of fines we have issued is a result of new government legislation which was introduced last September, which removed head teachers’ discretion to authorise any absence during term time for holidays.

“Head teachers have no choice but to comply with the legislation.

“However, the figures seem to tell us that the majority of parents are taking notice of the new legislation as we had the best ever attendance in the autumn term and a fall in the rate of absence due to holidays.”

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire County Council said parents and carers were sent a letter last summer informing them the new law gives no entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time.