Issue - items at meetings - Review of Dial a Ride Service

To consider recommendations for the future delivery of the Dial a Ride Service.

(Report and Appendices to Committee members attached. Referral from Overview and Scrutiny Committee to follow. Appendices also available on the website and in Group Rooms. )

RESOLVED that

1) subject to any budget setting considerations, the Council continue to deliver the Dial a Ride service;

2) expenditure of up to an amount of any capital funding agreed in due course by the Council be approved in accordance with Standing Order 41, for the purposed defined in the Dial a Ride – Review report; and

RECOMMENDED that

3) there be an increase in concessionary rate fees for use of the service from £1.05 to £1.50, subject to review in 12 month’s time from 2011;

4) capital investment for fleet replacement be included in the Capital Replacement Programme, and that a full business case be developed exploring the options for the continuing use of the existing fleet;

5) the possibility of closer working with Bromsgrove District Council, regarding the Bromsgrove Urban and Rural Transport (BURT) service, be assessed in respect of potential cost saving opportunities for both Councils; and

6) further opportunities for additional types of provision, which would include the hire of vehicles to community groups, registering fro contracts with Worcestershire County Council and having the option to have a mixed fleet of vehicles, be investigated.

The Committee considered a report on the future delivery of the Council’s Dial a Ride (DAR) Service.

Officers reported that an independent review of the DAR service had been carried out by consultants to look in depth at the operation of, and demands for DAR. Members were informed that this had included current policy, organisational structures, operation and deployment of vehicles and drivers, costs and revenue, models of provision, bookings management, demands and needs, user profile and patterns of usage, accessibility considerations, and the eligibility to use the service.

The report had been subject to pre-scrutiny by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 27th October 2010.

Members were informed that following the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee the Dial a Ride Task and Finish Group had met and prepared their final report.

The Chair of the Dial a Ride Task and Finish Group, Councillor Robin King, reported that the group had largely endorsed the proposals detailed by Officers in the Dial a Ride Service – Review report but had suggested alterations as follows:

· that there be an increase in concessionary rate fees for use of the service from £1.05 to £1.50, subject to review in 12 months time;

· that capital investment in fleet replacement be included in the Capital Replacement Programme, and that a full business case be developed exploring the options for continuing use of the existing fleet.