Parents’ £2m absence bill

FIGURES FROM eight Yorkshire councils show 42,147 fines have been issued in three years since 2013, and of those 4,482 have been withdrawn.

It means more than 37,000 fines have stood – enough to raise more than £2.2m from parents. Councils say money collected through this system is used to cover enforcement costs associated with the issue, collection or prosecution for non-payments.