Issue - meetings

The Board considered a topic proposal by Councillor C. Scurrell on the future of Bromsgrove Urban and Rural Transport (BURT).  Members discussed the financial implications of providing this service, particularly in the difficult financial context, whether the Council had a statutory duty to provide this facility and the provision of public transport generally in the district.  The Executive Director, Finance and Resources advised Members that a budget bid would have been put forward for the service for consideration in the Medium Term Financial Plan and that as the service had not yet been running for a year it may be more appropriate to consider the matter when the next budget bid was submitted.

The following questions were raised:

• What was the financial investment made to set up the service?
• What are the current running costs (i.e. cost of the driver and maintenance of the vehicle) and any revenue received?
• Can a summary of the journeys made be provided? (i.e. does the service concentrate on Bromsgrove Town Centre or does it pick up residents in Hagley, Wythall, Rubery and Alvechurch for example.)
• What is the take up of the service?
• Redditch Borough Council provided a similar service with a larger number of vehicles.  Has consideration been given to combining the two services?

After further discussion it was

RESOLVED that further information and responses to the questions raised by the Board be provided by the Head of Community Services, at the Scrutiny Board meeting to be held on 28th September 2010.