Travel Assistance Appeals and Complaints

Appeals and Complaints

What is the difference between a complaint and an appeal?

Usually complaints arise when you are unhappy about something. You may feel you have not been dealt with properly or in a professional manner, that information given to you was incorrect or that there has been an unacceptable delay. For these sorts of issues, please follow the Complaints Procedure.

With an appeal, you may be perfectly happy with the way that you have been treated but feel that the wrong decision has been made and would like it re-examined. For these issues, please follow the Appeals Procedure.

Appeals Procedure

Parents may wish to challenge a decision about:

• the type of travel assistance offered
• their child’s eligibility
• the distance measurement in relation to statutory walking distances; and/or
• the safety of the route

Where an application for travel assistance has been refused, or parents/carers or the young person wish for further consideration of their circumstances, the following process will apply.

Stage 1 - Appeal

The first stage is a review of your case by a member of the admissions and transport management team.

Within 20 working days of the original notification of decision, you should complete an appeal letter, together with any additional evidence that you would like us to consider.

You must provide your reasons as to why you are appealing the decision made or the travel assistance arrangements put in place. You will need to provide any supporting evidence or information you wish to be considered when you submit your stage one appeal.

This should be sent to sen.transport@redbridge.gov.uk  020 8708 8214 

Once your stage one appeal is received, the relevant officer will consider it and provide you with a decision within 20 working days from receipt.

If your stage one appeal is not upheld, you have the right to proceed to a stage two appeal. The original decision will then be reviewed by a Senior Officer.

You will receive a decision within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the request for a Stage 1 Appeal.

Stage 2 - Appeal

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your Stage 1 appeal, you have 20 working days to challenge it. You should submit your appeal with any additional supporting evidence together with a copy of the Stage 1 decision to the address above.

A Stage 2 Travel Assistance Appeal will be heard by a panel of Senior Officers. The panel have 20 working days to meet and consider the appeal in line with this policy. You will be notified of the decision by letter within 5 working days.

During each stage of the appeal process the reviewing officer or panel will use the evidence available to them to review the previous decision and whether the policy has been applied correctly. When you submit additional information for consideration it may be helpful to consider providing any of the following:

• Details of how the young person currently travels around outside of school or college;
• Medical evidence from a consultant supporting the young person explaining why the young person is unable to travel to school in the proposed manner;
• Any other relevant information or evidence to support your application.

Complaints

you are unhappy with the level of service you have received you may wish to submit a complaint to the Council. This can be done by using the Redbridge Council’s staged approach. You can complain directly to the SEN Team at the above address in Stage 1 or by submitting a complaint via the Redbridge Council’s website

Office

SEN Travel Assistance Team

Education & Inclusion

London Borough of Redbridge

Lynton House, 9th Floor Rear, 255-259 High Road, Ilford IG1 1NY

Tel: 020 8708 8214/5

sen.transport@redbridge.gov.uk

Office hours 8.30 to 5, Monday to Friday, including school holidays

Outside these hours please contact the service provider direct.