Agenda item

Overview and Scrutiny Task Group Report - Reduction in Bus Services

Minutes:

The Leader welcomed the Chairman of the Reduction in Bus Services Task Group, Councillor C. J. Bloore to the meeting and invited him to present the report of the Task Group.

Councillor Bloore gave the background on the reasons for establishing the Task Group and the sequence of events subsequent to this. It was reported that the County Council had scaled down the proposed cuts to bus services before the Task Group had first met.

The Task Group had determined that following the revised proposals from the County Council, two services in particular were worthy of further representations, the 204 service covering Cofton Hackett which had been withdrawn and the X50 covering Wythall which was now guaranteed for the next 12 months.

Councillor Bloore referred to the recent debate at full Council on the County Council proposals to reduce funding of Youth Services, which had resulted in a united response from the District Council being sent to the County Council. The Task Group had felt that by responding as a District Council to Consultation Documents in future it was probable that the response would carry more weight.

There was a detailed discussion on the recommendations and Members referred to representations which had been made to local County Councillors in order to address the original cutbacks proposed. Councillor Bloore acknowledged that work had been done by individual Councillors which had resulted in the cuts being reduced.

The Leader thanked Councillor Bloore for presenting the report and acknowledged the time Members and officers had put into the exercise.

RESOLVED that the response to each of the recommendations within the report of the Reduction in Bus Services Task Group be as set out below:

Recommendation 1

That within the Council Constitution, the Corporate Delegations in respect of Consultation Documents be amended as follows:

“Detail - To respond to Consultations by the County Council

Delegated to: That consultations routinely go to full Council for debate. However when there are timescale or other issues which would prevent this then the Chief Executive responds in consultation with the relevant Ward Members.”

Cabinet Response

(a) that the spirit of the recommendation be approved but that officers be requested to report back to Overview and Scrutiny Board with suitable wording in order to amend the Constitution; and

(b) that it be ensured that the amendment to the Constitution recognises that there may be occasions when this Council is not consulted formally by the County Council on proposals but which Members may still wish to debate at Council by way of a Notice of Motion.

Recommendation 2

That the Council support Worcestershire County Council by contacting the bus operators, Black Diamond and Johnson’s Coaches to make representations for the 204 service to be reinstated and for clarification on the future of the X50 service.

Cabinet Response

That the recommendation be supported but that in order that there is a specific point of contact on this matter, the letter be sent to the Portfolio Holder for Transport at the County Council rather than the bus operators.

Supporting documents: