The Home to School Travel Appeals Panel of Kingston upon Thames Council was scheduled to consider reports relating to home to school travel appeals. The meeting was also set to agree on the meeting procedure for handling these appeals.

Home to School Travel Appeals

The panel was scheduled to consider a report on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames concerning home to school travel appeals. This report was supported by various documents, including application forms, decline letters, and appeal responses from both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the appeals process. The panel was also provided with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) policy on home to school travel, alongside supporting letters from a GP, physiotherapy, and evidence relating to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). A supporting letter from a school was also included, though it was noted that this would not be discussed following the school's withdrawal.

The meeting procedure, to be agreed upon at the meeting, outlined a structured approach to hearing these appeals. This procedure involved the Local Authority's case being presented by the Head of Service (SEND Transport) of Achieving for Children, followed by questions from panel members and the parent(s). Subsequently, the parent's case would be presented, with further questions from panel members and the Head of Service. Both parties would then have an opportunity to sum up their cases. The panel would then have the opportunity to ask additional questions for clarification before the Head of SEND Transport and the parent(s) would leave the meeting. The panel would then move to a private session to make their decision, with the parent(s) to be informed in writing within five working days.

The panel was also scheduled to exclude the press and public from the meeting. This exclusion was proposed under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, on the grounds that exempt information was likely to be disclosed, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.