Council helps ski families on cancellation

Council chiefs have stepped in to reimburse families of around 100 pupils left out of pocket after a ski trip was cancelled.

Students from Tavistock College should have been leaving for Switzerland but the £800 a pupil trip was cancelled amid last minute fears tour company Skiing Europe could not guarantee the accommodation booked was available.

The Devon company’s bosses denied the allegation, and claimed a hotel was ready and waiting for the children.

Devon County Council has now said it would refund families pending any legal action and negotiations with insurers.

Christine Channon, the council’s cabinet member for schools and skills said a report was being finalised.

“We recognise that students and their families are out of pocket through no fault of their own. We are able to make an immediate payment to the college to cover the students’ refunds and I believe this is the right course of action. We will then work with the college to recover this money.”

Helen Salmon, college principal, said: “The college will be carefully reviewing its own procedures and we are working with the county council on its investigation.”