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10. The Decision Review Process

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The Decision Review Process

  1. If the Council considers that travel assistance should not be provided, you or your parents/carers will be advised of the decision. This is typically within 20 working days from receipt of the application, but may be longer if it was necessary to allow time to take professional advice or consult with you or your parents/carers.

  2. The Council has a two stage home to school travel assistance review process for parents/young people who wish to challenge a decision about: 

- Eligibility; 

- The type of assistance arrangements offered; 

- The distance measurement; 

- The safety of the proposed route.

  1. During a review regarding the outcome of an initial application, travel assistance will not be provided. Where the review concerns a change to assistance arrangements for a young person who has previously been assessed as eligible for the same journey, the previously agreed travel arrangements will continue. 

Stage One

  1. You or your parent/carer have 20 working days from receipt of the Council’s home to school travel assistance decision to make a written request asking for a review of the decision.

  2. The written request should detail why you or your parent/carer believe the decision should be reviewed.

  3. Within 5 working days of receiving the request to review, the Council will acknowledge the receipt of the request and confirm the expected timescale for review and response. 

  4. Within 20 working days of receipt of the written request, a senior officer will review the original decision and send you or your parent/carer a detailed written outcome setting out the nature of the decision reached, detailed reasoning for how the decision was reached, and information about escalation to stage two if appropriate. 

Stage Two

  1. You or your parent/carer have 20 working days from receipt of the Council’s stage one decision to make a written request to escalate the matter to stage two. 

  2. Within 5 working days of receiving the request to review, the Council will acknowledge the receipt of the request and confirm the expected timescale for review and response. 

  3. Within 40 working days an appeal panel will consider written and verbal representations from you or your parent/carer and officers and will review the original decision. They will send a detailed written outcome setting out the nature of the decision reached, detailed reasoning for how the decision was reached, and information about escalation to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if appropriate. 

  4. The appeal panel members will be independent of the original decision making process to date, and suitably experienced to ensure a balance is achieved between meeting your needs, meeting the Council’s requirements, and ensuring road safety requirements are complied with. 

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

  1. There is a right of complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if complainants consider that there was a failure to comply with the procedural rules or if there are any other irregularities in the way the appeal has been handled.

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