Appendix D
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PUBLIC TRANSPORT REVIEW
RECOMMENDATIONS (AMENDED)
Portfolio Holders:
Wards Affected:
All
All
1
SUMMARY
1.1
On the 29 May 2012 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed a series of
recommendations identified by their Time and Task Limited Panel who
worked with colleagues from North Norfolk District Council. These
recommendations were presented to Cabinet for endorsement on the 18 June
2012. The Cabinet referred these recommendations back to the Overview
and Scrutiny Committee to further identify how those recommendations could
be achieved and prioritised.
1.2
This report presents those recommendations again with further information on
how each recommendation could be fulfilled and by who. The
recommendations have also been themed to provide a clearer understanding
of what the recommendations are trying to achieve.
2
KEY DECISION
2.1
This is not a key decision and has not been published in the Forward Plan.
3
INTRODUCTION
3.1
In September 2011, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that
Broadland Scrutiny Members would work jointly with Members from North
Norfolk District Council’s Scrutiny Committee to review public transport
arrangements for Broadland and North Norfolk. The joint Time and Task
Limited Panel met for the first time on the 26 October 2011.
3.2
During the course of the review, the Time and Task Limited Panel members
met with the Assistant Director Travel and Transport Services Environment,
Transport and Development, Tracey Jessop and County Council Portfolio
Holder for Planning & Transportation, Graham Plant. The Members also
engaged with Community Transport Providers, Parish Councils and Bus
Operators.
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4
THE ISSUES
4.1
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee identified during their work
programming exercise in early 2012 that there were concerns around access
to Public Transport across the district. Upon consultation with other Norfolk
Authorities, North Norfolk District Council identified similar concerns and
agreed to work with Broadland District Council as a Joint Time and Task
Limited Panel to review the effectiveness of Public Transport. The Joint TTLP
were tasked to undertake the following:
•
Identify gaps in the public transport services provided (Bus, Rail and
Water)
•
Identify services that are under threat to continue or to be reduced
•
Conduct a Rural Proofing assessment which can be presented to the
County Council as evidence to support continuing services in rural areas
and where applicable invest in them
•
Review the impacts on access to the SureStart centre being set up in
Cawston, accounting for the cuts proposed to the bus services
•
Investigate access to bus stops in terms of older people and disabled
people capabilities, identifying possible improvements to be made
•
To identify specific problems with public transport services for the elderly
and the disabled
•
To investigate how opportunities for employment were restricted by
access to public transport in rural areas
4.2
Over the course of four months the TTLP identified a number of
recommendations to be endorsed by each Council.
5
DISCUSSION
5.1
While the Overview and Scrutiny Committee reconsidered their initial
recommendations, they were made aware of the ongoing work being
undertaken by Norfolk County Council during their own service review. To
date the County Council has increased the investment in Community
Transport, and are building capacity with third sector organisations to increase
the volume of journeys that can be undertaken. They have established a new
11 September 2012
Appendix D
social enterprise called Norfolk Community Transport Association, which is
offering significant economies of scale for back office activity like recruitment,
insurance, health and safety, operational good practice, CRB checks, vehicle
and legislative compliance, vehicle and driver pooling.
5.2
Members from North Norfolk District Council attended the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee meeting on the 31 July 2012 to continue their involvement
with this review and agreed with our Committee that the recommendations
remained relevant and achievable should they be delivered how suggested.
5.3
Following consideration the Committee did agree to withdraw the
recommendation “District Councils to support Community Transport Providers
with their long-term running to enable the service to remain sustainable and
deliverable e.g. charitable trusts/cooperatives” as it is more relevant to North
Norfolk Council than to Broadland Council considering the number of
Community Transport Operations active within the North Norfolk district.
6
PROPOSED ACTION
6.1
The Cabinet are asked to endorse the following recommendations identified
by the Joint Time and Task Limited Panel and supported by the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee (as amended).
Recommendation
How it could be
achieved
Responsible for
delivery
a.
The Council could do more
to raise the profile of
Community Transport
Schemes available
including what the benefits
are to using community
transport
Coordinated
through community
grants to such
organisations.
b.
Ensure that transport
providers are aware of the
Bus Service Operators
Grant and help them to
meet the criteria to apply
Information could be
added to the Community
Engagement pages on
the Broadland Council
website, a feature could
be published in
Broadland News and
articles raising awareness
placed in Parish Pages.
CTP are local
businesses, information
could be advertised in
Business Focus
magazine to raise
awareness.
Theme
Awareness
Economic
Awareness
Development Team
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Appendix D
c.
d.
e.
f.
Recommendation
How it could be
achieved
Responsible for
delivery
Ensure that Parish/Town
Councils are informed with
the correct information
about services available
e.g. up to date bus
timetables, factsheets on
SureStart services and how
to access them, community
buses, particularly evening
services and the Kickstart
moped scheme; and
encourage them to
disseminate the information
proactively
District and County
Councils to provide more
positive advertising of the
uses of public transport
and how to access it. This
to also include basic
operator information and a
link to ‘Travel Line’ on the
Council’s website
County/District/Parish or
Town Councils to consult
with communities to fully
identify their needs and find
ways of providing
community bus sharing
schemes and supporting
voluntary drivers to provide
the service to begin with,
for example through
Neighbourhood Planning
exercises
Support and promote the
new river ferry service
being provided from the old
power station to Trowse
(Broadland/City area)
Encourage the County
Council to provide the
information of services
available to parish
Councils through their
existing communication
means. A letter from the
Council leader to County
Council should suffice
Norfolk County
Council
Awareness
District Council
Leaders writing a
letter to County
Council
Lobbying
Provide a positive article
on the Council website
‘Transport and Streets’
along with basic
information that can be
downloaded and link to
the Travel Line website.
Communications
Team
Awareness
Build these questions as
part of consultation
process for parish plan
and neighbourhood
plans. Also consider
using these points of
reference when
consulting on
infrastructure needs for a
community.
Spatial Planning
Awareness
Raise awareness of the
service on the Council
website and within
notices in Broadland
News and Parish Pages.
Communications
Team
Awareness
Theme
11 September 2012
Appendix D
Recommendation
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
How it could be
achieved
Responsible for
delivery
Partnership and
Funding Officer
Theme
Encourage Community
Transport Providers to use
regular bus routes in
addition to providing
bespoke trips for
individuals
Consider ring-fencing
funding to support
community transport
schemes and encourage
new providers to come
forward. Schemes that
would assist local
businesses to pick up
employees would be
particularly supported
Provide supported funding
or sponsorship to
community transport
providers to obtain new
vehicles
Feed this information
back to providers when
they are applying for
funding.
Partnership and Funding
Officer working with
Norfolk County Council
grants officer to improve
access to funding
streams.
District Council/
Norfolk County
Council
Negotiate with Bus
Operators to be consistent
in how they provide
information and what they
include with it. A lot of
information is bundled
together which do not
relate and causes
confusion
The Council to support and
encourage Community
Transport Providers to
reach out to young people
who need a service in the
evenings in order to attend
groups or clubs.
Include these points of
reference within same
letter to Bus Operators
outlining the Council’s
feedback from this
review. Initially consult
parish councils to outline
which information from
operators is most useful.
Identify operating CTP’s
and make them aware of
groups/clubs for Young
People who would benefit
from their services,
engage through YAB.
Merge with existing
Leisure arrangements
and advertising methods.
Parish Liaison
Officer
Lobbying
Economic
Development,
Leisure Team
Lobbying
Would have to be agreed Economic
by the Grants Panel how Development
much funding is put aside Team.
and endorsed by Cabinet.
Raise awareness of
available funds through
community newsletters
and BroadlandDC Twitter
account.
Awareness
Funding
Funding
District Council
Leaders writing a
letter to County
Council
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Appendix D
Recommendation
How it could be
achieved
l.
Persuade Bus Operators to
provide double decker
buses on the most popular
and logical routes to
maximise patronage. For
example X29 Norwich to
Kings Lynn/Fakenham
Economic
Development
and
County Council.
Lobbying
m.
Provide bus timetables at
local shops/village
halls/central notice
boards/libraries/schools/do
ctors surgeries and Parish
Magazines not just parish
councils.
Providing the information
where people are most
likely to access transport.
Timetables for Bus
Operators and contact/time
information for Community
Transport Providers
displayed together. This
should include information
within the bus stops of
which buses stop there
Ask the Leader to write to
the Government outlining
the consultation
undertaken and request
them to consider an
alternative regulatory
framework and public
transport funding systems
that is accessible to both
voluntary sector and
private sector
District Council to compile
a joint letter with Norfolk
County Council appealing
to Bus Operators.
County Council should
have existing information
of which routes maximise
patronage
The Council writes to
Parish/Town Councils
informing them the
expectation that
information needs to be
provided in these areas
across the parish area. A
letter to Parish Councils
encouraging them to
obtain the information
and pass to their local
shops/libraries.
Parish/Town
Councils
Lobbying
Compile a joint letter from
each Norfolk Authority
countersigned by all
Leaders and MP’s and
sent to Government as
per recommendation
Democratic
Services
Lobbying
n.
Responsible for
delivery
Theme
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o.
p.
q.
r.
Recommendation
How it could be
achieved
Convey to County Council
Portfolio Holder for
Transport concerns about
the information boards
present at the key bus
service stops that are
frequently not working. In
addition consider linking up
Public Authority websites
or media accounts to share
up to date information
about service delays e.g.
Twitter accounts and
websites.
The Council to encourage
Bus Operators to provide
safer collection points in
areas where the main
roads are dangerous.
Compile a letter to the
Norfolk County Council
Portfolio Holder for
Transport (Graham Plant)
conveying this concern
and asking them to be
included within their
review of public transport
services. Implementation
would be at discretion of
County Council.
District Council
Leader
Consult with Parish
Councils where their
current collections points
are and if they are
hazardous. Outline this
feedback in a letter to
Bus Operators asking
them to revise collection
points.
Include within main letter
from Council Leader to
Bus Operators, and site
separately with Rail
Companies, Taxi Firms
and Ferry Services.
Collectively the
Parish Councils
working together to
compile one letter
Lobbying
Democratic
Services
Lobbying
Include as part of the
Grants Review conducted
on an annual basis.
Recommendation
reported to the
Partnership and Funding
Officer for information.
Partnership and
Funding Officer/
Democratic
Services
Lobbying
(internal)
Convey to any public
transport provider that it is
important for drivers to be
courteous, welcoming and
helpful. These simple
behaviours are extremely
valued by service users
and can influence their use
of the service
Relax criteria to achieve
funding for community
transport schemes,
providing bespoke support
to applicants to help them
to complete a successful
application form
Responsible for
delivery
District Council
Leaders writing a
letter to County
Council.
Theme
Lobbying the
County
Council
7
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
7.1
There are minimal resource implications within this report. The delivery of
recommendations to improve advertising and raising awareness will require
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Appendix D
officer time, any literature about available services or grants or volunteer
schemes can be included within existing Council publications like Broadland
News, Parish Pages and Broadland Business Focus. Leaflets from
community transport providers could be obtained from the providers directly
and supplied at community events across Broadland or relevant to those
operator areas at no cost to the Council. Recommendations have been
delegated to existing Council functions or to Parish Councils within their
community facilitator role.
8
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
8.1
There are no legal implications associated with this report.
9
CONCLUSION
9.1
In conclusion the Overview and Scrutiny Committee have reconsidered their
initial recommendations, they have identified how each recommendation
could be fulfilled in consultation with officers and collectively agreed three
themes the recommendations apply to. The Cabinet are asked to deliberate
these recommendations and consider them for action.
10
OPTIONS
10.1
The Cabinet has the following options
(1)
Endorse the updated recommendations
(2)
Agree alternative course of action to be taken by the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee
Councillor Peter Balcombe
Chairman of the Joint Public Transport Time and Task Limited Panel
Martin Thrower
Head of Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer
Background Papers
None
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Appendix D
For further information on this report call Stacy Cosham on (01603) 430567 or
e-mail stacy.cosham@broadland.gov.uk
11 September 2012