£140k! Bill to hound dad over term-time break
ALMOST £140,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent pursuing a court case against a father who refused to pay a £60 fine for taking his daughter on holiday during term time.
The Government paid out the equivalent of six newly qualified teachers’ salaries by taking action against Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, who lost a landmark legal battle at the UK’s highest court earlier this year over the unauthorised absence.
The highly controversial case, which was closely watched by parents across the country, reached the Supreme Court following the seven- day family trip to Disney World in Florida in April 2015.
Head teachers are able to approve requests for term-time absence in exceptional circumstances only – which does not include family holidays.
Mr Platt was prosecuted by Isle of Wight Council after he refused to pay an initial £60 penalty, which had by then risen to £120, but local magistrates said that he had no case to answer.
Two High Court judges in London upheld the magistrates’ decision, declaring that Mr Platt was not acting unlawfully because his daughter had a good overall attendance record at school.
But in April the council success- fully urged the Supreme Court to overturn the High Court decision, saying it raised important issues over what constitutes ‘regular attendance’ at school.
Costs obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that, as of May 10, the Department for Education’s (DfE) bill for the court cases was £139,891.
A breakdown shows that total costs incurred by the DfE were £53,654.90 – made up of £1,872 for the High Court case and £51,782.90 for the Supreme Court case.
In addition, the department reimbursed the Isle of Wight Council a total of £ 86,237.03, including £ 71,606.03 for the Supreme Court case.
It also includes £14,631 to cover Mr Platt’s costs in the High Court proceedings, which the council had been ordered to pay.
Mr Platt said: ‘I have always maintained that I thought the costs of this have been a disgrace and the money would be much better spent on education.’
A DfE spokesman said last night: ‘We are pleased the Supreme Court unanimously agreed with our position and removed any uncertainty for schools and local authorities: no child should be taken out of school without good reason.
‘The evidence shows every extra day of school missed can affect a pupil’s chances of achieving good GCSEs, which has a lasting effect on their life chances.’
The original case will now be heard again by magistrates on the Isle of Wight.