Issue - meetings

To consider the draft Executive response to the above report which sets out the approach to preparing a Bus Strategy for the Borough and invites the Panel to establish a Working Group to contribute to the development of the Strategy.

The Panel considered a report recommending it to establish a Working Group to guide the emerging Bus Strategy.

In 2011, a reduction in available bus subsidy budget was proposed. Following wide consultation the decision was taken not to reduce services. It was further agreed that a review of the Bus Strategy was needed to inform future financial support. The decision was supported by the Overview and Scrutiny Working Group which had been set-up to review the budget reduction proposals.

In its recommendations, the Working Group proposed that the Bus Strategy should be updated and reviewed. To be able to implement the Bus Strategy for April 2014, a draft strategy would need to be developed by May 2013.

The Panel agreed that:

1. a Working Group of the Panel, consisting of the same membership as the Working Group which previously reviewed the bus subsidy budget with the addition of Councillor Ms Brown subject to her availability, be established to guide the Emerging Bus Strategy, ready for implementation in April 2014.