Agenda item

To consider and agree the report of the Concessionary Travel Task & Finish Group and to make recommendations to the Executive.

Report to follow.

Councillor Clarke, as Chairman of the Task & Finish Group, presented the draft report and recommendations on Concessionary Travel.  He explained that the Task & Finish Group had held a number of meetings in the first half of 2009 and had consulted widely with other local authorities, the bus companies and local residents to gather the evidence and gauge views and opinions.  The relevant Portfolio Holder and the Older People’s Champion had also been closely involved in the work of the Task & Finish Group.  

Councillor Clarke explained that in the course of the review the Task & Finish Group had looked at a range of issues as reflected in the eight recommendations.  He briefed the Committee on the background to each of the recommendations.  In particular he highlighted the Task & Finish Group’s conclusion that it would not be appropriate for the Council to invest in smart card reader technology at this time due to reservations about the level of financial commitment and the technical capacity of the systems to meet the Council’s needs.  Councillor Clarke assured the Committee that on the question of mis-ticketing there was absolutely no suggestion of any misconduct on the part of the bus operators and their drivers but it was important to recognise that human error at the point of ticket issue could result in a cost to the Council.  

The Committee noted the report and the recommendations.  In particular they felt that it was important that the Council should continue to support the Dial-A-Ride service and to explore options for additional alternative community transport schemes.  They also confirmed their support for the promotion of a county-wide approach to concessionary travel and community transport.  

Councillor Morris, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Street Scene and Rural told the Committee that he welcomed the work of the Task & Finish Group and that he would advise the Executive to accept the recommendations.  He said that he had scheduled a meeting the following week to discuss the response to the Government consultation and he would welcome the involvement and contribution of members of the Task & Finish Group and the Committee to that meeting.

Resolved

1)                       To note the draft report from the Task & Finish Group on Concessionary Travel;

2)                       That the Democratic, Scrutiny and Elections Manager be delegated, in consultation with the Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Clarke, as Chairman of the Task & Finish Group on Concessionary Travel, to approve a final version of the report subject to any comments or amendments received from members of the Task & Finish Group or the Overview & Scrutiny Committee;

3)                       To agree the recommendations set out in the report of the Task & Finish Group on Concessionary Travel and to refer the report and those recommendations (detailed below) to the Executive:

Recommendation 1: Smart Card Reader Scheme

That Cherwell District Council should not pursue the introduction of a Smart Card Reader scheme at this time due to the significant financial investment required and reservations about the current technical capacity of such schemes to meet the Council’s needs.  The government consultation on the future administration of concessionary travel schemes compounds the uncertainty.

Recommendation 2: Mis-ticketing

That the Portfolio Holder should publicise the importance of checking bus tickets and encourage bus pass holders to submit examples of mis-ticketing.  The Portfolio Holder should follow-up examples of mis-ticketing with the bus companies; monitor the scale and value of the problem for the remainder of the financial year; and report on the results and proposed actions to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the spring of 2010.

Recommendation 3: Management Information

That the Portfolio Holder should encourage the concessionary fare service providers to move to a monthly rather than quarterly claim and settlement cycle.

Recommendation 4: National Travel Tokens

That the current arrangements for the issue of national travel tokens should continue for 2009/10 and that the Portfolio Holder should monitor the take up and use of the national travel token scheme.  The Council’s continued participation in the national travel token scheme should be reviewed against the findings of the independent research into the provision of community transport schemes in the district (see recommendation 5).  

Recommendation 5: Community Transport

That Cherwell District Council should continue to support and promote the provision of community transport schemes across the District.  In support of this corporate priority the Portfolio Holder should commission research into the feasibility of introducing alternative community transport schemes in those parts of the district where residents do not benefit from the concessionary bus pass, national travel tokens or the Dial-A-Ride service.

Recommendation 6: Consortium approach

That the Portfolio Holder should open discussions with colleagues at the County Council and the District/City councils with a view to promoting a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of the national concessionary travel scheme, subject to the outcome of the government’s consultation on the administration of concessionary fares schemes.

Recommendation 7: Government Consultation

That the Portfolio Holder should be invited to use the work of this Task & Finish Group and the conclusions and recommendations in this report to inform the Council’s response to the government’s consultation on the administration of concessionary fares schemes.

Recommendation 8: Concessionary Travel Scheme

That the start time for the concessionary travel scheme in Cherwell should not be reviewed again and should remain at 09.30 am, in line with the statutory scheme, until April 2011 when the new arrangements for the administration of the concessionary travel scheme will come into force.