Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 9 August 2023
Back to Placing Requests and Exclusions Appeals Panel — 9 August 2023 and its agenda
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Minute of Meeting Placing Requests and Exclusions Appeals Panel Date Time Venue Wednesday, 09 August 2023 10:00 Microsoft Teams Meeting, Present: Councillor Stephen Burns, Mrs Elaine Knox, Councillor Iain McMillan Chair Councillor Burns, Convener, presided. In Attendance D Briggs, Senior Solicitor (Litigation and Advice) and E Gray, Senior Committee Services Officer (both Finance & Resources). Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC The Appeals Panel resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
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1 Gryffe High School - Appeal against Refusal of a Placing Request - 23/08 Consideration was given to an appeal against the refusal of a placing request for S4 at Gryffe High School. All participants had been invited to attend virtually by means of MS Teams. C Adam, Senior Solicitor (Finance & Resources), and K Christie, Headteacher of Gryffe High School and A Gallagher, Resource Manager (both Children's Services), all representing the Education Authority, were in attendance. The appellants in relation to appeal 23/08, together with an advocate for the pupil, were also in attendance. D Briggs, Senior Solicitor (Litigation & Advice) outlined the procedure to be followed in hearing the appeal. C Adam advised that the Education Authority had an additional submission which they wished to be considered by the Panel. There being no objection from the appellant, the additional submission was circulated to all parties. C Adam then presented the case for the Education Authority and led evidence from K Christie and A Gallagher in relation to the circumstances surrounding the refusal of the placing request. The appellants were then invited to present their case. Each side having been given the opportunity to cross examine and sum up, were thanked for their attendance and left the hearing. DECIDED: That one or more of the grounds of refusal specified in Section 28(A) (3) and (3A) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 existed and that in all the circumstances, it was appropriate to confirm the Education Authority’s decision and that the appeal be not upheld. This was agreed by unanimously. 2 Gryffe High School - Appeal against Refusal of a Placing Request - 23/09 Consideration was given to an appeal against the refusal of a placing request for S1 at Gryffe High School. C Adam, K Christie and A Gallagher were asked to rejoin the meeting and the appellant in relation to appeal 23/09 was invited to join the meeting. D Briggs, Senior Solicitor (Litigation & Advice) outlined the procedure to be followed in hearing the appeal. C Adam then presented the case for the Education Authority and led evidence from K Christie and A Gallagher in relation to the circumstances surrounding the refusal of the placing request. The appellant was then invited to present their case.
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Each side having been given the opportunity to cross examine and sum up, were thanked for their attendance and left the hearing. DECIDED: That one or more of the grounds of refusal specified in Section 28(A) (3) and (3A) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 existed and that in all the circumstances, it was appropriate to confirm the Education Authority’s decision and that the appeal be not upheld. This was agreed unanimously.