Parents face difficulties in finding ideal schools for their children because of an appeals backlog.

Brighton and Hove City Council said the main reason is 60 appeals have been made by parents whose youngsters have not been able to get into Varndean School in Brighton.

A building plan for Varndean, in Balfour Road, has just been given the go-ahead.

It is on schedule to be completed by December 2002.

New areas include a sports hall, an outdoor AstroTurf pitch, two drama studios, two technology rooms and an extension to the canteen.

The code of practice says it is desirable for appeals for the same school to be heard by the same appeal panel.

But council officials simply could not find three volunteers needed to hear the appeals who were prepared to sit on the panel for the six days.

Now the council has gained permission from the Local Ombudsman to have different panels hearing the appeals.

They have been arranged for July 15, 16, 24, 25, 29 and 30.

The members of the panels have to be independent of the council.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Jenny Barnard-Langston said: "They are well behind and this is causing difficulties for parents.

"I appreciate there is a huge backlog but we should be prepared for this sort of problem."

A council spokesman said: "The difficulties will be looked at to see what lessons can be learnt to ensure it does not occur again."

The appeals for secondary school places also have a knock-on effect on appeals by parents over primary school places.