Agenda item

The Portfolio Holder for Property, Climate Change & Income Generation advised that the consequences of the Government’s proposals would affect every community transport scheme in Somerset which had a contract with Somerset County Council.

The Transport Strategy Officer advised that the Department for Transport were proposing to change the interpretation of Section 19 and Section 22 Permits for Road Passenger Transport in Great Britain.  It would affect transport schemes who tendered for work with their County Council.  Community Transport schemes would need to have fully trained drivers and managers and guarantee the viability of the scheme to comply with Public Sector Vehicle Regulations.  He recommended writing to the Department for Transport before it published any consultation to support Somerset County Council and the Community Transport schemes in the district. 

Mr T Carroll, Chairman of the South Somerset Community Accessible Transport (SSCAT) advised that if the proposals were implemented it could mean the end of community transport in Somerset and nationally.  He asked that the Council make the strongest possible representations to the Department for Transport on this issue.

Ms V Butcher of the SSVCA advised that their school contracts also funded other activities such as church lunch clubs and good fellowship clubs within Yeovil which could also be at risk.  She said the car transport scheme would also cease and there would be an impact on the wider community. 

The Portfolio Holder for Property, Climate Change & Income Generation outlined the various community transport schemes across the district and the possible effects which the proposals could have on them.  He confirmed that the request of the Scrutiny Committee to write to both local MP’s to ask for their support would be done.

In response to questions from Members, the Transport Strategy Officer confirmed that if the community transport schemes were no longer in operation then SCC would be reliant on commercial operators to tender for school transport. 

Councillor Nick Weeks noted that Area East Committee had agreed to write to their Town and Parish Councils to ask them to consider precepting a sum to support the SSCAT scheme and he suggested that this could be extended across the district.  He also suggested that S106 funding collected for travel plans should be looked at and possibly diverted to fund community transport.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Chairman agreed that he and officers would engage with officers and Members at SCC to discuss the issues with them.  It was also agreed that information from SSCAT and SSVCA on the impact of the proposed changes would be included as an appendix to the formal letter to the Department for Transport (DfT).  Copies of the letter would also be sent to the Somerset MP’s.