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Cumberland Council
Data availableNorth West
65
appeals registered, 2024 (official DfE figure)
64
appeals registered, 2025 (official DfE figure)
Data available. At least one Freedom of Information response gives real, extractable figures on tribunal appeals or outcomes for this council.
Thinking about appealing, or partway through it? These are free, independent sources of advice — not run by this site, and not run by any council.
- Cumberland SEND IAS Service — this council's own free SEND information, advice and support service. Every council is legally required to fund one, at arm's length from itself.
- IPSEA — Free, independent legal advice on SEN law — including EHC plans and tribunal appeals.
- SOS!SEN — Free helpline and 1:1 advice specifically on preparing a SEND tribunal appeal.
- Coram Children's Legal Centre — Free education law advice line, including SEN appeals and EHC plan reviews.
- GOV.UK: appeal an EHC plan decision — The official government guide to the appeals process itself — who can appeal, mediation, costs.
Structured outcome breakdown
Structured breakdown — since 1 April 2023 (Section I / placement appeals only, to 14 July 2025)
real, from FOI response
Resolved before hearing — 32 (69.6%)
Contested, council lost — 14 (30.4%)
Contested, council won — 0 (0%)
SCOPE NOTE: covers ONLY Section I (placement) appeals under CFA 2014 s.39(4)(a)/(b), not all SEND tribunal appeal types -- not comparable/summable with the aggregate record above (all appeal types, different period start). resolved_before_hearing = 6 withdrawn + 26 conceded before hearing = 32. contested_and_council_lost = 14 allowed/upheld by tribunal. contested_and_council_won = 0 dismissed by tribunal. DATA QUALITY FLAG (new, not previously documented for this project): the four outcome categories sum to only 46 of the stated 80 total notifications (6+26+0+14=46) -- 34 are unaccounted for and the source does not explain the gap, though it presumably reflects ongoing/undecided cases. Council also did not split the data into the two requested sub-periods (pre/post 1 April 2024) despite being asked to.
By decision type
By decision type — since 2023-04-01 (to response date 2025-07-14)
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Placement, Section I | 80 | 40 |
Freedom of Information responses
Awaiting classification
Q2 (legal team spend): 'not held'. Q3: '...how many SEND appeals were received by the council? 171.' Q4: 'Of these appeal cases decided by tribunal, how many were in favour of the council? 5.'
Caveat: Exact request URL slug not confirmed (captured via search-result snippet); search whatdotheyknow.com for 'LBC REQUEST Cumberland' to locate the exact thread. Cumberland Council was created 1 April 2023 from part of the former (two-tier) Cumbria County Council area, so this data reflects only the post-reorganisation Cumberland Council area, not the whole of former Cumbria.
Response dated 14 July 2025 (FOI-188231-2025) to Stephen Lancaster, re EHCP Section I Appeal Outcomes. The question asked specifically about Section I (school placement) appeals citing Children and Families Act 2014 s.39(4)(a) and (b), split between 1 April 2023-31 March 2024 and 1 April 2024-most recent. Council's answer: 'Cumberland Council currently record both above reasons, along with age, aptitude, and ability as a unified record of tribunal reasons. Since 1st April 2023, 80 tribunal notifications have been received for placement, section I.' Of those 80: (a) Withdrawn - 6; (b) Conceded by the local authority before the hearing - 26; (c) Dismissed by the tribunal - 0; (d) Allowed or upheld by the tribunal - 14.
Caveat: The council did not split the data into the two requested sub-periods (1 April 2023-31 March 2024 vs 1 April 2024-most recent) — it gave one combined 'since 1 April 2023' figure only. The four outcome categories (6 withdrawn + 26 conceded + 0 dismissed + 14 allowed/upheld = 46) do not sum to the 80 total notifications received; the remaining 34 are presumably still ongoing/undecided as of the response date, though the letter does not say so explicitly. Figures cover only Section I placement appeals citing the specific s.39(4)(a)/(b) grounds, not all SEND tribunal appeals against the council generally.
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