Issue - meetings

Funding applications have been received from voluntary sector bodies for the provision of community transport services in 2012/13. This Report gives details of those applications with recommendations on the allocation of funding.

Councillor Roger Symonds, in moving the recommendations, said that the proposals would increase or maintain all the awarded grants.

Councillor Simon Allen seconded the proposal and observed that the criteria and the grants being recommended fitted well with the Council’s new vision of putting people first and encouraging independence.

Councillor David Bellotti supported the proposal.  He referred to paragraph 3.5 of the report, which identified an amount of £42,500 grant from the government to assist with community transport services.  He asked the Cabinet member to agree to bring any proposals on spending this grant back to Cabinet for approval.

Councillor Paul Crossley was delighted with the proposals and felt that they delivered an inclusive agenda.

Councillor Roger Symonds summed up.  He assured Councillor David Bellotti that he would indeed bring back to Cabinet any proposals for spending the £42.500 community transport funding.  He reminded Cabinet however that the funding was specifically given by government to be used for community transport development.

On a motion from Councillor Roger Symonds, seconded by Councillor Simon Allen, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To APPROVE funding proposals laid out in appendix 2 of the report;

(2) To AGREE that new two-year service level agreements be entered into with the three dial-a-ride schemes in the Council’s area;

(3) To DELEGATE authority to the Divisional Director for Planning and Transport Development to reallocate funds, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, from approved projects that become unviable owing to the level of funding allocated or to a change in circumstances of the applicant group, should such situations arise during the year.