Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Executive Decision Record

1. The decision:

That the consultation response contains the following principles:

a) Subject to the Government fully funding the statutory minimum aspects of the scheme, as the Transport Authority, Hampshire County Council supports responsibility for the administration of concessionary travel passing to upper tier authorities as a key element of local bus service support, subject to a majority of District Councils in Hampshire supporting the change.

b) The administration of the scheme should remain with local government rather than regional or central Government.

c) Should the responsibility transfer to upper tier authorities, any future shortages in funding in Hampshire should be guaranteed by Central Government and should reflect the number of trips made by pass holders under the statutory criteria.

d) Both the statutory and discretionary travel concessions which relate to the national bus pass should be administered by upper tier authorities, with upper tier authorities retaining the ability to vary schemes locally in response to local requests and subject to necessary funding.

e) In advance of changes to the administration of concessionary travel being implemented, a thorough review of the national Concessionary Travel Scheme funding is carried out to ensure that sufficient funding is available in each upper tier authority area without the inclusion of discretionary elements.

f) One central national system of processing applications and issuing passes is investigated.

2. Reasons for the decision:

2.1. The concessionary scheme is a key element of transport funding with any shortfall likely to create pressure on the bus subsidy budget. As the Transport Authority, Hampshire County Council is the appropriate place for both these components to be managed.

2.2. All aspects of the pass scheme, including discretionary concessions, should be administered by the same authority. To retain the ability of district councils to provide discretionary concessions, as now, would undermine the practicality and efficiency of a uniform county-wide scheme.

2.3. As a national scheme, introduced by Central Government, Government funding should reflect demand which will be driven by the increase in the over 60 age group.

2.4. A national review of the Concessionary Travel Scheme is required to ensure that the scheme provides value for money, is equitable, is meeting its objectives and that sufficient funding is available in each upper tier area.

2.5. A central system of processing applications electronically could provide the most efficient and cost-effective means of issuing passes. For those people not able to submit applications electronically, the post office network or similar could be used. An alternative would be for passes to be automatically issued to people on their 60th birthday.

2.6. Should the scheme be administered and funded by the County Council, a significant benefit would be the flexibility to incorporate innovative transport services in the scheme, eg Dial-a-Ride, Call & Go and taxi share services. This would assist the County Council in providing more of these flexible types of service in the future.

2.7. The Executive Member for Environment supports this recommendation.

3. Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. Option 1: Retain the status quo.
a) Risk Assessment: That funding by district does not reflect where costs fall or make all income available to the scheme.

3.2. Option 2: Move administration to the regions.
a) Risk Assessment: Requires primary legislation, undeliverable within timeframe set out in consultation.

3.3. Option 3: Move administration to Central Government.
a) Risk Assessment: this could lead to pressures on Transport Authorities to increase bus subsidy costs to balance any shortfall in local bus operator income.

4. Conflicts of interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker: None.

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive Members consulted: None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee: none.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent: not applicable.

7. Statement from the Decision Maker: