Issue - meetings

(a)       That the implementation of the changes as set out within the report and supporting appendices be supported; and

(b)       That the service performance tables be reviewed annually by the Committee including the actions taken by officers to improve the performance of services. 

The Head of Assets and Transportation introduced a report to provide an update on the review of subsidised bus services following the consultation exercise and to confirm the proposed action to be taken in relation to specific bus services. 

He detailed the background to the report and advised of the consultation that had been undertaken which included promotional material being placed in public buildings; website and questionnaires; Town and Community meetings and engagement with this Committee.  He detailed the sources that the feedback had been received from such as petitions, letters, Town and Community Council communications and surgeries which had been held in some parts of Flintshire.  It was reported that there had been a high level of interest in the consultation exercise, including a clear engagement from concessionary pass holders who were generally high users of the County’s bus services.  The Head of Assets and Transportation detailed the feedback from the consultation process and said that the review has used the criteria of the policy approved by Cabinet in April 2013 to develop the future bus service delivery models within the County. 

During the course of the review a number of commercial services had been reduced or terminated by existing operators and the Council had filled and would continue to fill the gaps whilst it considered how to ensure the provision of more long term, affordable and sustainable services.  Paragraph 3.01.2 detailed how the services were generally run within the county which included:-

·        commercial bus services

·        tendered subsidised bus services

·        de-minimis

·        demand led

·        and education related

It was reported that during the current financial year, Taith had ensured that existing community transport support arrangements had continued, despite some major schemes seeing a significant reduction in funding when the community transport concessionary fares initiative ceased.  The issues that were still to be overcome were detailed in paragraph 3.02.3. 

The Head of Assets and Transportation explained that a Rural Transport Project Officer had been appointed on a 12 months fixed contract as part of a rural development plan bid in conjunction with Cadwyn Clwyd.  Some of the work which had been undertaken within the rural communities was detailed in the report.  Appendix 4 provided information on service; route; cost per passenger; options presented to Committee on 23 July 2013; summary of consultation response and the proposal for each service having considered feedback and the application of the Policy by officers. 

The Environment and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Facilitator read out a question from Councillor Cindy Hinds about funding of school transport. In response the Cabinet Member for Environment said that where parents had chosen to send their child to the nearest school which was three miles or more from their home, then a bus service would be provided to take the child to and from school.  However the issue raised by Councillor Hinds was that the school that the children attended was not their nearest school and as it was parents’ choice, they should pay for the transport, not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41