The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report providing an update on possible changes to the Concessionary Travel scheme for Older Person pass holders and disabled people using the Access Pass in Reading. In February 2018, the Policy Committee had agreed to investigate the potential removal of further discretionary elements of the Concessionary Travel scheme, following the implementation of initial changes to the Older Persons’ scheme in April 2017. The anticipated budget savings from these potential changes, subject to the outcome of public consultation and an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposals, had been estimated to be approximately £200-250k per annum.

The report noted that, following an initial review of the consultation results, it had been announced at the meeting of Policy Committee on 29 October 2018 that the Council did not intend to proceed with the removal of the Companion Entitlement for eligible Access Pass holders, as this provided a vital lifeline for disabled residents who were unable to travel alone.  However, this prospective change had been included in the list of proposals to enable the Committee to confirm formally the position taken at the earlier meeting.

The report also recommended endorsing an internal review of the current process for assessing the eligibility of applications for Access Passes to ensure the process provided value for money in line with Government guidance.  This process would include an assessment of the renewal procedure, which could be amended to require pass holders to renew their eligibility for the scheme at the end of the five-year lifespan of their pass, whilst recognising any such review would need to be sensitive to those pass holders who had a permanent disability.

The report had appended: an Equality Impact Assessment of the proposals; Consultation Questionnaires; the full results of the consultation response; background information on administering eligibility and the Concessionary Fares Schemes in the South-East; and the Readibus consultation responses.

Having considered the recommendations and in light of the responses received to the public consultation and the Equality Impact Assessments undertaken, Councillor Page, Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, proposed that the possible changes to the discretionary element of the Concessionary Travel scheme set out in Section 4 of the report should not be implemented.

Resolved –

(1)         That the report and the potential financial savings of £200k - £250k per annum that the changes to the scheme could deliver be noted;

(2)         That, taking into account the responses received to the public consultation and the Equality Impact Assessments undertaken, none of changes set out in the report be made to the discretionary elements of the Concessionary Travel scheme, which would mean the following would continue to be available:

·         Off-peak Weekday Free Travel (pre-9.30am/ after 11.00pm) for Access Pass Holders;

·         Companion entitlement for eligible Access Pass Holders;

·         Free use of Readibus dial-a-ride services for eligible Access Pass Holders;

·         Free use of Readibus scheme by Older Person Pass Holders;

(3)     That the administration of eligibility criteria for Access Passes be reviewed on the grounds described in Appendix D to the report to ensure the process provided value for money in line with Government guidance.