Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Finance and Support

1.      The consultation response has been agreed for submission to the Department for Transport.

2.      Officers are to write to the local MPs appraising them of the position asking for support to ensure that Northampton Borough Council is fully funded for all aspects of the scheme.

Councillor Hawkins addressed Cabinet and stressed the importance of the concessionary bus pass for the residents of the outer wards in the Borough, who depended on the service to enhance their quality of life.  She advised that there had been confusion amongst residents who understood that the recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny made to Cabinet would be implemented and this was not yet the case.  She asked Cabinet to consider the importance of the scheme to residents on outlying wards.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet accusing them of ‘crying wolf’ by claiming a shortfall in funding when the financial estimates in the report presumed future increases in uptake comparable with towns that were clearly tourist attractions. He considered that there was in fact an under spend and this should be used to carry out the Overview and Scrutiny report’s recommendations.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet and referred to the appendix to the report setting out the Council’s draft response to Government. He thought that the projected overspend had been included in the budget.  He requested that a separate letter be sent to local MPs outlining the Council’s concerns and that MPs also be given sight of the Overview and Scrutiny report containing their recommendations.

Councillor Perkins, as Portfolio Holder for Finance, presented the report to Cabinet.  He explained that Cabinet was responding to the consultation document about the amount of the specific grant from central Government to local authorities to fund the scheme for concessionary bus travel as it was extended from a local to a national scheme. This scheme had been imposed on local authorities and was currently severely underfunded by central Government.  He warned that if the Overview and Scrutiny recommendations were adopted without adequate funding from central Government, then other local services could suffer as a result.  The administration of the scheme was to be passed to the County Council in 2011.  Referring to the estimated costs in the report, Councillor Perkins explained that the figures were all based on actual cost, apart from 2010-11, which was based on the latest forecast estimates.

It was further made clear that the figures were based on usage to date, which was still increasing and that the comparisons made with other towns were for illustration purposes.  Councillor Church commented that short funding this and next year would certainly have an impact on other services that could be offered and was disappointed that nothing was being done to help this large authority with high bus usage.

Councillor B Markham commented on the good work of scrutiny and agreed that their report and recommendations should accompany the Council’s letter to MPs.

RESOLVED

1.      That Cabinet agree the consultation response for submission to the Department for Transport.

2.      That Officers write to the local MP’s appraising them of the position asking for support to ensure that Northampton Borough Council is fully funded for all aspects of the scheme.