Thank you so much — we’ve now reached 453 signatures. Your support has pushed this issue further than I ever expected, and I’m so grateful.

I want to share an important clarification about how West Sussex County Council counts petition signatures. When the petition is reviewed, the council will only include signatures from people who live, work, or study in West Sussex. Any signatures from outside the county will be removed before the petition is assessed.

We’re aiming for 500 valid signatures, because at that point the petition is reviewed at councillor level. I’m already in the process of arranging a meeting with councillors, so this work is moving forward — but the number of valid signatures still matters.

If you’d like to help strengthen the petition, here are a few simple things that make a real difference:

• Ask your partner to sign
• Share it with West Sussex family members
• Send it privately to anyone you know who lives, works, or studies in West Sussex
• Share it in local WhatsApp groups, school chats, or neighbourhood groups
• Post it in West Sussex Facebook groups. 

If someone does work or study in West Sussex (even if they live elsewhere), they should select West Sussex when signing so their signature is counted.

Thank you again for standing with us. I’ll update you as soon as the meeting date is confirmed. Your stories and comments let WSCC know that this is affecting many children. Thank you to those who have shared them - I will make sure they are told. 

Jo