Councillor McDonald proposed and Councillor Evans seconded the motion on Family Holidays and School Fines.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Bowyer and seconded by Councillor Darcy to insert additional wording (additional wording shown in italics) –

‘The City Council agrees to,

ceaseaction in respect of the practice of fining those parents for unauthorised absence in order to take their children on holiday until the legal position is clear; following the appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of Isle of Wight Council v Jon Platt.

During this period all cases waiting to be heard by the court will be reviewed and Head teachers will continue to follow the current policy, which is the policy adopted by the previous administration in September 2015.  When the information is sent to the Local Authority we will write to every family concerned and advise them that we will not be issuing a penalty notice at this stage and instead will consider whether to take any action when the legal position is clear.’

The meeting was adjourned for 5 minutes to allow members to read and consider the amendment.

Following a request from ten councillors for a recorded vote on the amendment, the amendment was put to the vote and lost.

For the amendment (24)

(Councillors Bowyer, Mrs Bowyer, Carson, Churchill, Cook, Darcy, Deacon, Downie, Drean, Foster, Mrs Foster, Fry, James, Jordan, Kelly, Martin Leaves, Mike Leaves, Sam Leaves, Loveridge, Dr Mahony, Nicholson, Pengelly, Ricketts, and Wigens).

Against the amendment (29)

(Councillors Mrs Aspinall, Bowie, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Dann, P Davey, S Davey, Evans, Hendy, Lowry, Mavin, McDonald, Morris, Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Penberthy, Rennie, Riley, Storer, Singh, Smith, Sparling, Stevens, J Taylor, K Taylor, Tuffin, Tuohy, Vincent, Wheeler and Winter).

Abstention (1)

Debate on the original motion continued and, following a request from ten councillors for a recorded vote, the original motion was put to the vote and Council agreed to cease the practice of fining those parents for unauthorised absence in order to take their children on holiday.

For the motion (30)

(Councillors Mrs Aspinall, Bowie, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Dann, P Davey, S Davey, Evans, Hendy, Lowry, Mavin, McDonald, Morris, Murphy, Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Penberthy, Rennie, Riley, Storer, Singh, Smith, Sparling, Stevens, J Taylor, K Taylor, Tuffin, Tuohy, Vincent, Wheeler and Winter).

Against the motion (24)

(Councillors Bowyer, Mrs Bowyer, Carson, Churchill, Cook, Darcy, Deacon, Downie, Drean, Foster, Mrs Foster, Fry, James, Jordan, Kelly, Martin Leaves, Mike Leaves, Sam Leaves, Loveridge, Dr Mahony, Nicholson, Pengelly, Ricketts, and Wigens).

Abstention (1)

Suspension of Standing Orders

Councillor Darcy proposed and Councillor Nicholson seconded a motion to suspend standing orders to allow the meeting to continue after 7.30 pm.  Following a vote, this was agreed.