Before proceeding with an appeal
Any issues relating to journey times or a change in current transport arrangements may first be resolved by contacting the Transport Coordination Group before making a formal appeal.
Parents and carers of children who live in West Sussex may appeal a decision taken by an officer regarding travel assistance. A stage one appeal may be considered in relation to:
- your child's eligibility for transport assistance
- the distance measurement in relation to statutory walking distances and the safety of the route
- the travel arrangements offered
In line with government guidance, the council operates a two-stage appeal process.
Stage one appeal
A stage one appeal form needs to be completed to make an appeal. Contact lauren.sexton@westsussex.gov.uk to declare your interest in submitting a stage one appeal.
All stage one appeals will be considered by the Assistant Director for Education & Skills who will consider the appeal form, any supporting information, the application form, supporting information provided with the application and any other correspondence used by the officer to reach a decision.
We shall aim to provide you with a decision from your stage one appeal within 20 working days of receipt of the application. You will then receive an email with the detailed reasoning for the decision. We will also inform you how to escalate your appeal to the next stage if you disagree with the outcome.
Stage two appeal
If your stage one appeal has been unsuccessful, you have 20 working days from receipt of the outcome letter to submit your stage two appeal. A stage two appeal form needs to be completed to make an appeal. Contact Democratic Services via democratic.services@westsussex.gov.uk to declare your interest in submitting a stage two appeal.
An appeal hearing will be scheduled within 40 working days of receipt of the application form. The Appeal Panel will be independent of the stage one decision-making process and suitably experienced. They will consider your appeal based on evidence submitted by the appellant and the School Transport Team.
You have the option of attending the hearing in person, or attending virtually or having your appeal considered on written material only. A representative of the School Transport Team will also participate in the hearing.
Once the panel has considered all the evidence and representations submitted by both sides, it will decide whether it agrees with the council’s previous decision to dismiss your appeal or whether it wishes to overturn that decision and uphold your appeal.
Within five working days of the hearing, you will be informed of their decision with the detailed reasoning in writing. We will also inform you how to escalate your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) if you consider that there was a failure to comply with the procedural rules or if there were any other irregularities in the way the appeal has been handled.
Local Government Ombudsman
There is a right of complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman, but only if the complainant considers that there was a failure to comply with the procedural rules or if there are any other irregularities in the way the review has been handled. Further advice is available on the Local Government Ombudsman website or on the Local Government Ombudsman advice line on 0300 061 0614.
If the complainant considers the decision of the independent panel to be flawed on public law grounds, the complainant may also apply for judicial review.